Epic Games and Apple’s prolonged legal standoff over the availability of *Fortnite* on iOS devices has taken yet another dramatic turn. This time, Epic is accusing Apple of deliberately blocking its latest *Fortnite* submission, preventing the game from returning to the U.S. App Store.
Just earlier this month, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney expressed optimism that *Fortnite* would soon return to iPhones in the United States following a major court ruling. His confidence stemmed from a decision by a U.S. Federal District Court in California, which ruled that Apple had willfully violated a prior court injunction. That order had required Apple to allow developers to provide alternative payment options within their apps, a move seen as a potential breakthrough for Epic’s long-standing dispute.
Tim Sweeney has remained steadfast in his mission to challenge Apple and Google’s control over app store ecosystems, no matter how long it takes. As reported by IGN back in January, Sweeney has invested billions into this legal battle, viewing it as a strategic necessity for both Epic Games and the future of *Fortnite*. He emphasized at the time that the company was prepared to sustain this fight for decades if needed.
At the heart of the issue lies Epic’s refusal to pay the traditional 30% commission fee on mobile revenue collected through Apple and Google’s app stores. Instead, Epic seeks to distribute *Fortnite* via its own platform—the Epic Games Store—without interference or financial extraction from either tech giant. The conflict initially led to *Fortnite* being removed from iOS in 2020, cutting off millions of players on Apple devices.
Despite Sweeney’s earlier claims that *Fortnite* would soon be back on iOS, the game remains absent from the App Store. In a recent statement to IGN, Epic confirmed:
“Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”
This development represents a significant setback for Epic, which has already lost billions in potential revenue since *Fortnite* was pulled from iOS five years ago. In response, Sweeney took to Twitter to publicly address Apple CEO Tim Cook directly:
“Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.”
The situation escalated further when Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for violating the court’s injunction. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers made her stance clear, stating, “Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated. This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order.”
Adding to the tension, Judge Rogers found Apple executive Alex Roman—who serves as vice president of finance—to have provided misleading and dishonest testimony regarding Apple’s compliance efforts. She referred both Apple and Roman for a criminal contempt investigation.
Apple responded to the ruling with a firm stance, saying: “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.” Last week, Apple filed a motion requesting that the U.S. appeals court suspend the ruling while its appeal is under review.
