Fortnite is gearing up for a major return to iPhones in the United States after a long legal standoff and years of absence from Apple's App Store. Now, Epic Games has revealed exactly how it plans to relaunch its popular video game for iPhone users.
Following a significant US court ruling last week that ordered Apple to permit third-party payment options without taking a commission, Epic Games wasted no time in announcing Fortnite's comeback on iOS. A lingering issue cast doubt on how feasible that would be — Epic's US developer account had been terminated by Apple back in 2020 amid a legal battle.
Now, that roadblock appears to have been cleared.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed on social media that the company will be submitting Fortnite to the US App Store through an account based in Sweden.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sweeney said, “We have conversed with Apple on the topic and will use our Epic Games Sweden account to submit Fortnite to the US App Store. We created this account last year to launch Epic Games Store and Fortnite in the European Union, and Apple required an EU-domiciled account.”
We have conversed with Apple on the topic and will use our Epic Games Sweden account to submit Fortnite to the US App Store. We created this account last year to launch Epic Games Store and Fortnite in the European Union, and Apple required an EU-domiciled account.
Epic's use of the Swedish account to re-enter the US market shows a creative workaround that could set a precedent for other developers navigating Apple's tight app ecosystem.
While Fortnite is yet to be submitted for app review, the process is expected to begin shortly. If things proceed smoothly, fans in the US could see the battle royale sensation back on their iPhones and iPads within days, according to a 9to5mac report.
This follows a verdict by a US court last week that found Apple in violation of a 2021 injunction aimed at curbing anti-competitive behaviour in its App Store policies. The court accused Apple of “thwarting the injunction's goals” by introducing new fees and barriers that continued to stifle competition. The judge's 80-page ruling also referred the case to the US Attorney's Office for potential criminal contempt proceedings, the 9to5Mac report added.
After the latest ruling in the Apple versus Epic Games, the tech giant now needs to update its App Store policies immediately. Apple can no longer restrict how developers recommend alternative purchase methods from its platform's apps, and it won't be able to claim commission from those purchases, a PCMag report mentioned.
Epic Games first filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple in 2020, accusing the iPhone maker of monopolistic practices centred around its App Store policies, especially its rules on in-app purchases. The removal of Fortnite from the App Store shortly thereafter sparked a high-profile courtroom drama that has dragged on for nearly five years.
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