After a protracted legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games that saw the game removed from the mobile platform, Fortnite is now back on the App Store worldwide, except in Australia.
Apple told the U.S. Supreme Court that, “Regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States.”
The dispute started in 2020 when the Fortnite developer sued Apple for its policy of taking 30% of an app’s profits while not allowing any alternate payment options outside of Apple’s own model.
Epic added its own direct payment scheme to sidestep Apple’s fees, but the tech giant responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store and then dissolved Epic’s developer account.
In a press release, Epic Games said, “Apple knows the U.S. federal court will force it to be transparent about how it charges its App Store fees. Fortnite is returning to the App Store now because we are confident that once Apple is forced to show its costs, governments around the world will not allow Apple junk fees to stand.”
While Fortnite players may see this as a victory, Epic Games is once again subject to Apple’s model and fees, but the company has stated it will continue to battle against it.
“We will continue to challenge Apple’s anticompetitive App Store practices of banning alternative app stores and competition in payments. We’ve seen momentum around the world to address these practices, with regulators passing laws in Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom – but time and time again Apple has evaded the laws with scare screens, fees and onerous requirements. It’s time for regulators to truly enforce the laws so developers and consumers around the world can benefit from an open and fair mobile app ecosystem,” it stated in the same press release.
While Fortnite has returned to the App Store in most regions, the game is yet to return to Australia, where Epic won its court case, so now the battle continues until a solution can be found.
In the press release, Epic Games commented on the situation, saying, “We’ve not returned to the Australia App Store yet. There, Epic won its court case against Apple, the Court found many of Apple’s developer terms are unlawful, and yet Apple continues to enforce those terms. Epic is now asking the Court to bring Apple’s unlawful conduct to an end and to make orders that will benefit all app developers and iOS users. Epic can’t return under an illegal payment arrangement with Apple, so unless Apple agrees to adopt lawful payment terms in the interim, we must wait for a Court decision.”