Fortnite is poised to make a triumphant return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, following a pivotal court ruling, according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had willfully violated a court order in the ongoing Epic Games v. Apple case. The order mandated Apple to allow developers to offer customers alternative payment methods outside of their apps.

In response, Sweeney took to social media with a "peace proposal" for Apple, with whom Epic has been embroiled in legal battles for years. "If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic," Sweeney stated in a tweet.

Sweeney's dedication to challenging the practices of Apple and Google has been costly, with billions spent on legal fees. In a January interview with IGN, Sweeney described the expenditure as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, asserting that the company could sustain the legal fight for decades if necessary.

The core of the dispute lies in Epic's refusal to pay the standard 30% app store fees on mobile game revenue. Instead, Epic aims to operate Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile platforms, bypassing the fees imposed by Apple and Google. This disagreement led to Fortnite's removal from iOS back in 2020, but after nearly five years, U.S. players will soon see the game's return.

Sweeney celebrated the recent court ruling, tweeting, "NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax. Apple's 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the United States of America as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Unlawful here, unlawful there."

As a result of the ruling, Apple faces referral to federal prosecutors for violating the court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers emphasized, "Apple's continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated. This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order." Gonzalez Rogers also referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation, citing misleading testimony about Apple's compliance efforts.

Apple responded, stating, "we strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal."

Epic's legal victories have been significant, particularly in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. In August last year, the Epic Games Store launched on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices worldwide, featuring games like Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys for mobile. However, Epic has faced challenges with user engagement due to "scare screens" that deter up to 50% of potential users.

Despite the financial strain and significant layoffs, including 830 employees from the North Carolina studio in September 2023, Sweeney remained optimistic about Epic's financial health. In October last year, he affirmed that the company was "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store achieving record levels of "concurrency and success."

Epic's Tim Sweeney remains committed to challenging Apple and Google, no matter how long it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.

Fortnite is set to return to U.S. iPhones, nearly five years after its removal. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images.