Fortnite Returns to Global App Stores as Epic Presses Apple Over 30% Fees
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 19
Fortnite Returns to Global App Stores as Epic Presses Apple Over 30% Fees
15 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 19
Epic Games said Tuesday that Fortnite is back on App Stores worldwide, restoring distribution for one of the industry's biggest titles after years of legal conflict with Apple.
Epic tied the return to its confidence in the Apple case, arguing a U.S. federal court will force transparency on App Store charges and undermine what it calls unlawful fees.
Australia remains an exception: Epic said Fortnite is still unavailable there because Apple continues enforcing developer terms that a court had found unlawful.
The fight dates to 2020, when Apple removed Fortnite after Epic bypassed in-app payment rules; the game returned to the U.S. App Store last year after a nearly 5-year ban.
The relaunch matters for Epic because Fortnite still draws millions of daily players, even after weaker engagement and a tougher spending environment pushed the company to cut more than 1,000 jobs earlier this year.
Epic's 'final battle' is fragmenting the App Store. Is this creating true competition or just a more chaotic digital world?
As Apple's App Store walls crumble, will developers profit or just face a new maze of complex fees and security risks?
With regulators prying open the iPhone, is the golden age of its unparalleled security and simplicity officially over?
Epic Games vs. Apple: The Four-Year, $2 Billion Battle That’s Forcing Global App Store Reform—With Australia as the Holdout
Overview
In May 2025, Fortnite made a major comeback to the Apple App Store worldwide, except in Australia. Epic Games announced this global relaunch, driven by confidence that Apple would be forced by a U.S. federal court to reveal its App Store fees. Apple, meanwhile, told the U.S. Supreme Court that regulators around the world are watching the case to decide what commission rates Apple can charge. Epic believes that once Apple is transparent, governments will not allow 'junk fees' to continue. This situation highlights how legal battles in the U.S. are influencing global app store policies and digital marketplace fairness.