Epic Claims Apple Blocks Fortnite's U.S. App Store Return; Sweeney Tweets Cook in Protest

The ongoing battle between Epic Games and Apple over the future of Fortnite on iOS devices has escalated, with Epic alleging that Apple has blocked its Fortnite submission, preventing its release on the U.S. App Store. Earlier this month, Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, announced that Fortnite would soon return to iOS in the U.S. following a significant court ruling. However, the game remains unavailable.

On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had wilfully violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case. The order required Apple to allow developers to offer alternative purchasing methods outside their apps. This ruling came after years of legal disputes, highlighted by IGN's January report on Sweeney's commitment to challenging Apple and Google's app store policies, which he views as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future. Sweeney has publicly stated his readiness to continue the fight for decades, having already spent billions in the process.

The core issue revolves around Epic's refusal to pay the 30% store fees that Apple and Google impose on mobile game revenue. Epic prefers to operate its own mobile store, the Epic Games Store, to retain more profit. This disagreement led to Fortnite's removal from iOS back in 2020.

Despite Sweeney's recent announcement and subsequent expectations, Fortnite has not returned to iOS. Epic released a statement to IGN, explaining that Apple's block extends to both the U.S. App Store and the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union, leaving Fortnite offline worldwide until Apple lifts the restriction.

The situation is dire for Epic, which has lost significant revenue since Fortnite was removed from iPhones five years ago. In an attempt to resolve the issue, Sweeney has taken to social media, directly appealing to Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, with a tweet saying, "Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought."

Following the court's ruling, Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for violating the U.S. court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers emphasized that Apple's actions were not negotiable and that there would be no "do-overs" for disregarding a court order. She also referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation, citing Roman's misleading testimony about Apple's compliance with the injunction.

In response, Apple stated its disagreement with the court's decision but affirmed its intention to comply while appealing the ruling. Last week, Apple requested a pause on the ruling from the U.S. appeals court.