After nearly five years of courtroom showdowns and digital exile, Fortnite is returning to the iOS App Store. The comeback follows a major legal ruling against Apple that has once again reshaped the high-stakes conflict between the tech giant and Epic Games.

This time, Epic isn’t just bringing the game back — it’s trying to end the war entirely.

A Legal Win Forces Apple’s Hand

On April 30, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple was in “willful violation” of a 2021 injunction meant to stop the company from stifling competition in the App Store. The ruling focused on Apple’s continued efforts to control third-party payments — specifically, a 27 percent fee Apple imposed on developers who attempted to steer users away from in-app purchases.

In a striking move, the judge referred the case to the Department of Justice for possible criminal contempt proceedings, escalating the stakes in a case that has long been viewed as a bellwether for Big Tech regulation.

Tim Sweeney, Epic Games’ CEO and the long-running voice of opposition to Apple’s App Store practices, responded almost immediately.

“We’re Done”

Sweeney took to X with the announcement:

“We’ll return Fortnite to iOS in the US next week. And we’ve formally requested Apple restore our developer account for Korea under the Korea In-App Payment Law. We’re done fighting globally if Apple accepts the courts’ and regulators’ decisions and applies them worldwide.”
— @TimSweeneyEpic, April 30

In other words: Epic is offering to lay down its legal arms if Apple complies globally with the changes it’s now legally required to make in the U.S. The offer suggests a broader detente — not just a U.S.-specific fix, but a global one.

Apple hasn’t publicly responded to the proposal. But for now, U.S. players can expect Fortnite back in the App Store as early as next week.

The Battle Royale Behind the Scenes

The original legal fight began in 2020, when Epic rolled out its own in-app payment system, bypassing Apple’s 30 percent cut. Apple responded by kicking Fortnite off the App Store. Epic sued, and in 2021, the court largely sided with Apple — but issued one key restriction: Apple could no longer prevent developers from linking users to third-party payment options.

Apple appealed. The core ruling survived. And now, the courts have finally had enough of Apple’s slow-roll tactics.

This latest ruling forces Apple to:

• Allow external payment links in apps
• Stop charging additional “Apple Tax” fees on non-App Store transactions
• Comply immediately — no delays

What It Means for Developers — and Players

Fortnite’s return is the most visible result, but the implications are broader. Developers across the App Store now have a legal opening to direct users to cheaper, external payment platforms — and Apple can’t penalize them for it. That could eventually lower prices for consumers and give developers more control over how they monetize their apps.

Epic, for its part, is also pushing for similar changes in other markets. The tweet references Korea’s In-App Payment Law, which already requires Apple and Google to allow third-party payments. Epic is ready to return to that market too — if Apple plays ball.

The Bigger Picture

This moment marks a shift not just in Epic’s long battle with Apple, but in the way digital platforms may be regulated going forward. What began as a fight over Fortnite has turned into a test case for how courts, governments, and developers can push back against tech monopolies.

For now, the game that changed the rules is back. And the rules themselves? They’re starting to look different.