Epic Claims Apple Blocks Fortnite's U.S. App Store Return; Sweeney Tweets Cook

Epic’s ongoing legal battle with Apple over the future of Fortnite on iOS devices has taken yet another dramatic turn. In a recent development, Epic has accused Apple of deliberately blocking its latest submission for Fortnite, preventing the game from being released on the U.S. App Store. This move comes as a significant setback for Epic, which had been optimistic about bringing the game back following a landmark court ruling earlier this month.

In early April, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had willfully violated a previous court order requiring it to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods within their apps. Despite this ruling, Apple has maintained its stance against allowing Epic to reintroduce Fortnite to the App Store.

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, had previously expressed confidence that Fortnite would return to iOS devices within days of the court’s decision. However, as of now, the game remains inaccessible to millions of players in the United States and Europe. Sweeney has publicly addressed the issue, stating that Fortnite will remain offline globally until Apple resolves the impasse.

Epic’s Tim Sweeney remains steadfast in his determination to challenge both Apple and Google. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.

This conflict dates back to 2020 when Fortnite was removed from the App Store due to Epic’s refusal to comply with Apple’s 30% commission fee on in-app purchases. Sweeney has consistently argued that this fee stifles competition and unfairly impacts developers. He has invested heavily in the legal fight, viewing it as a long-term strategy to reshape the app store ecosystem.

Despite losing billions in revenue since Fortnite was banned from iOS, Sweeney continues to push for change. Recently, he took to Twitter to directly appeal to Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging him to reconsider the ban.

Following the court ruling, Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for contempt of court. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers criticized Apple’s actions, emphasizing that violations of court orders would not be tolerated. She also accused Apple executives, including Vice President of Finance Alex Roman, of misleading the court during testimony.

In response, Apple stated it would comply with the court’s order while simultaneously appealing the decision. Last week, the tech giant requested a stay from the U.S. Court of Appeals to temporarily halt enforcement of the ruling.

As the legal battle continues, the outcome remains uncertain, leaving both parties—and millions of gamers—on edge.