Fortnite vs. Apple: Epic Demands Court Intervention to Bring Game Back to US App Store

Epic Games is back in court, this time demanding a judge force Apple to let Fortnite back onto the US App Store.

In a new court filing, Epic argues that Apple is once again defying a judge’s order, specifically one from April that restricted Apple from rejecting apps that use external payment links. This all stems from Epic’s ongoing legal battle with Apple over their App Store policies.

The company claims Apple is using this delay as retaliation for the legal fight. Epic insists its latest Fortnite submission complies with Apple’s guidelines, and in a letter shared by Epic, Apple says it won’t review the submission until after a higher court decides on its request for a partial stay of the injunction.

A Rocky Road Back to the US App Store

Remember back in April when Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in favor of Epic, allowing Fortnite to potentially return to the US App Store? Well, things haven’t gone smoothly. Epic claims it submitted the game twice, but instead of approval, Fortnite was removed from the EU App Store.

Epic says this happened because Apple blocked its US submission, forcing the company to choose between the two markets. Apple, on the other hand, says it simply asked Epic to resubmit the app without the US storefront to avoid impacting Fortnite in other regions. Epic argues this would mean having to maintain multiple versions of the app, which goes against Apple’s own guidelines.

Epic’s Request: A Strong Message to Apple

Now, Epic is going all out, asking the court to enforce its previous injunction, declare Apple in contempt again, and demand that Apple accept any compliant Epic app, including Fortnite, for distribution on the US App Store.

It’s a direct challenge to Apple, and the judge’s decision will have major implications for the future of the gaming industry. Remember, Judge Gonzalez Rogers has not explicitly ordered Fortnite’s return to the store, finding in 2021 that Epic knowingly violated its developer agreement with Apple. However, the judge’s frustration with Apple in her April ruling could work in Epic’s favor.