After almost five years of absence, Fortnite — the famous battle royale video game by Epic Games — is back available on theApple's App Store negli United States, starting May 20, 2025. This isn't just good news for nostalgic gamers: it's the result of a billion-dollar legal battle that could change the game in the mobile app world forever.
Fortnite and the long legal battle against Apple
Everything had start in 2020, when Epic Games introduced a direct payment system within Fortnite, bypassing the traditional 30% commission that the tech giant imposes on every purchase made through its digital store (the famous “Apple tax”). In response, Cupertino has removed the game from its platform, accusing the Californian company of violating the guidelines. From here a legal controversy erupted accompanied by a massive media campaign by Epic, which denounced the company as monopolistic and anti-competitive, under the slogan #freefortnite.
In parallel, Epic has launched a similar battle against Google, which applies similar rules in the Google Play Store.
In 2021, a partial ruling required the Californian group to allow developers to inform users about alternative payment methods, but the dispute remained open. The turning point came on April 30, 2025, when a federal judge ruled that Apple violated the previous order. The case is now under investigation by federal prosecutors, who are considering a possible contempt of court by the company.
Taking advantage of this legal opening, Epic has presented a unique version of Fortnite valid for both the European and US markets. strategy It is no coincidence: in Europe, thanks to the Digital Markets Act, the game was already back available and blocking this unified version would have meant violate European regulations, exposing the multinational to heavy fines. After an initial attempt to prevent the distribution, the Cupertino company had to backtrack, allowing the return of Fortnite both in Europe that in the Usa.
Fortnite Returns to Apple Store: A Temporary Victory
However, the game is not over. Apple has presented a emergency appeal against the order, and until a final decision, Fortnite's presence on the App Store is potentially temporary. If the appeal is granted, everything could go back to how it was before: Fortnite out again, and Apple with full control of its ecosystem.
In the meantime, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, commented on the return to X (formerly Twitter) with an enthusiastic “We back fam.” Sweeney then proposed a global armistice: Epic would be ready to withdraw all legal action and bring Fortnite back everywhere, if Apple will commit to loosening the rules of the App Store worldwide. The battle, he revealed, has cost the gaming giant more than $1 billion in legal fees — but for him it was worth it.
Will Fortnite return to its old-time success?
Before the ban, Fortnite mattered over 116 millions of users only on Apple devices. The game now enters a much different ecosystem, more crowded and with evolving consumer trends. According to several analysts, this legal victory does not necessarily guarantee a return to the glory days of the past.
However, the real protagonist could be the sentence itself: if confirmed and expanded, it could revolutionize the structure of the App Store. Platforms like Spotify, Netflix and many independent developers could finally offer alternative payments, avoiding the “Apple tax” and experimenting with more flexible business models.
In short, Fortnite is back, but the real game is being played in the backend of the mobile app market.
What does Epic Games' victory mean for Apple?
The court's decision represents a potential weakening of Apple's control on its ecosystem. According to the company itself, the ruling could lead to Prevention “substantial” financial, estimated at hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars a year, especially if developers start directing users to external payments. But beware: Apple's numbers remain solid. In the second fiscal quarter of 2025, Apple reported revenues up 5%, for a total of 95 billion dollars, thanks mainly to the boom in the services division.
Earnings rose 8% to $1,65 per share, also boosted by share buybacks. However, the CEO Tim Cook he called for caution, pointing out that visibility beyond June is limited, also due to the commercial policy adopted by the administration Trump and the potential impact of the new duties.
