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

Epic Games' ongoing battle with Apple over the distribution of Fortnite on iOS devices has escalated, with Epic alleging that Apple is preventing the game's return to the U.S. App Store. This conflict follows a significant court ruling earlier this month, where Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, announced that Fortnite would soon be available again on U.S. iOS devices.

On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had deliberately violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit. The order mandated Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods outside their apps, a ruling aimed at fostering competition and reducing Apple's control over in-app purchases.

Epic's Tim Sweeney remains committed to challenging Apple and Google's app store policies, a battle he sees as crucial for the future of Epic and Fortnite. In January, IGN highlighted Sweeney's substantial financial commitment to this cause, noting his willingness to invest billions over decades to change how app stores operate. Sweeney's goal is to bypass the standard 30% store fees by using Epic's own platform, the Epic Games Store, for mobile game distribution.

Despite expectations following Sweeney's tweet about Fortnite's imminent return to iOS, the game remains unavailable. Epic recently updated IGN, stating, "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it."

This ongoing dispute has cost Epic billions in lost revenue since Fortnite was removed from iOS in 2020. In an attempt to resolve the issue, Sweeney directly appealed to Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, via Twitter, saying, "Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought."

Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025

Following the court's decision, Apple faced further legal scrutiny. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt due to misleading testimony regarding compliance with the injunction. Judge Rogers emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, "Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated... This is an injunction, not a negotiation."

In response, Apple expressed disagreement with the ruling but committed to compliance while planning an appeal. Last week, Apple requested a pause on the ruling from the U.S. appeals court, indicating the company's intent to continue challenging the decision.