Fortnite hasn’t been available on iOS in the US since 2020, but for the first time in a while there’s a chance that might change soon, following a US Court ruling in favour of Epic Games amid its lengthy legal battle with Apple over payment options.
This is a feud that’s been raging for almost five years, with Epic and CEO Tim Sweeney having taken issue with Apple and Google’s official in-app purchase mechanisms, introducing its own direct in-game payment option in the iOS and Android versions of Fortnite. The two mega-corps then pulled the game from their storefronts, leaving Epic and Sweeney to try and get us all to care via a campaign to “stop 2020 from becoming 1984” that would have been a bit embarrassing if any of these people were capable of feeling shame.
While there have been signs of the game getting to return to UK IPhones while the legal battle between Epic and Apple has kept on raging, Epic CEO Sweeney has offered the fruit company a “peace proposal” that’d make iOS Fortnite a thing in the US again, following the latest twist in the litigation.
That twist is Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers delivering a verdict that found Apple “in wilful violation” of previous court injunction that it had to allow purchases made for iOS games and apps through outside web links. It did, but then instituted a 27% commission on such purchases.
“Apple’s response to the Injunction strains credulity,” the court’s verdict reads, “After two sets of evidentiary hearings, the truth emerged Apple, despite knowing its obligations thereunder, thwarted the injunction’s goals, and continued its anticompetitive conduct solely to maintain its revenue stream.”
It also accused Apple of some even more serious stuff, writing: “In stark contrast to Apple’s initial in-court testimony, contemporaneous business documents reveal that Apple knew exactly what it was doing and at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option. To hide the truth, Vice-President of Finance, Alex Roman, outright lied under oath.”
Epic’s claiming this as a victory, with Sweeney having tweeted: “NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax. Apple’s 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the United States of America as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Unlawful here, unlawful there.
“Epic puts forth a peace proposal,” he continued, “If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.”
Will Apple accept? Well, a spokesperson for it has told Eurogamer: “we strongly disagree with the decision” adding that it’ll “comply with the court’s order” and appeal.
How do you feel about this corporate handbag-swinging? Are you keen to drop back into Fortnite on iOS Let us know below!
