Epic Games takes legal action to compel Apple to allow Fortnite back on US IOS, accusing Apple of retaliation amid ongoing court disputes

 Epic Games is escalating its legal battle with Apple, filing a motion in California’s District Court to force the tech giant to reinstate Fortnite on the US iOS App Store. This move comes after Apple removed Fortnite and terminated Epic’s developer account in 2020 following Epic’s controversial introduction of the “Epic Direct Payments” system, which bypassed Apple’s in-app purchase rules and sparked years of litigation.

The motion argues that Apple’s recent refusal to accept a compliant version of Fortnite violates court injunctions requiring Apple to allow external payment links within apps. Epic insists its new submission adheres fully to these rules by including a link to the external Epic Games Store, where players can access purchases at a 20% discount compared to Apple’s in-app purchases.

Apple rejected Epic’s May 9 submission via its Swedish subsidiary account, stating that the previous 2020 “hotfix” enabling direct payments still violates the company’s developer agreement. Apple said it will not process the submission until the Ninth Circuit rules on its request for a stay of the new injunction. Meanwhile, Apple suggested Epic submit different app versions for different regions to avoid blocking the update globally — advice Epic publicly rejected, citing Apple’s own guideline against submitting multiple app versions.

Epic claims Apple’s rejection constitutes “blatant retaliation” against the company for challenging Apple in court and attempts to circumvent the court’s authority. Epic asserts the company is being punished after nearly five years of legal wrangling and is unfairly denied the benefits of the new “pro-competitive” rules it helped establish.

The legal fight will be overseen by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has previously reprimanded Apple for violating her injunctions and even referred Apple executives for criminal contempt over alleged false testimony. She warned that Apple’s interference with competition “will not be tolerated” and stressed that delays in complying with court orders are unacceptable.

Fortnite’s removal from the US App Store has forced Epic to seek alternative routes, including using a European account to keep the game available in the EU, though this move has complicated global rollout plans due to Apple’s refusal to allow identical app versions for different markets.

The conflict highlights the ongoing tension between Apple’s tight control over its App Store ecosystem and developers’ calls for more freedom, particularly regarding payment processing and revenue share. Apple’s App Store remains a key revenue source, and the company fiercely defends its policies despite increasing regulatory scrutiny worldwide.

Epic’s lawsuit and court filings underscore the broader battle over app store control, digital marketplace competition, and the power wielded by platform gatekeepers. With Fortnite being one of the world’s most popular games, the dispute carries significant implications for both developers and consumers.

As the court process unfolds, industry watchers will be closely monitoring how Apple responds and whether Judge Gonzalez Rogers will take further steps to enforce her rulings. The case also adds to growing pressure on Apple to alter its App Store policies amid antitrust investigations and regulatory reforms.

For now, Fortnite remains unavailable on iOS in the US and pulled offline in Europe due to Apple’s refusal to accept Epic’s latest compliant version. Epic remains determined to see the game reinstated, promising to “do everything we can” to return Fortnite to the platform.