Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Teases Fortnite Returning to iOS in 2023 as Legal Battle Continues

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has teased a return of Fortnite to iOS in 2023, nearly three years after the best-selling game was removed from the App Store for violating platform rules, marking the start of a contentious and high-profile legal battle.

fortnite apple featured
In a tweet to celebrate the new year, Sweeney said, "Next year on iOS!" followed by an image of a Fortnite character looking up at fireworks that spell out 2023. Apple is reportedly planning to allow sideloading and alternative app stores with iOS 17 next year, in order to comply with the newly passed DMA (Digital Markets Act) law in Europe. Under the law and its implementations, ‌Epic Games‌ could, in theory, bring Fortnite back to iOS, just not through the ‌App Store‌.

Fortnite was removed from the ‌App Store‌ in August 2020 after ‌Epic Games‌ included a direct payment option in the game that circumvented Apple's in-app purchasing system, violating ‌App Store‌ rules. Apple ultimately removed Fortnite from the App Store, placing the blame directly on Epic for violating its rules. A statement from Apple at the time:

Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store. Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services.

Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade, and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem - including its tools, testing, and distribution that Apple provides to all developers. Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we're glad they've built such a successful business on the App Store. The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users. We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store.

The removal of Fortnite from the ‌App Store‌ caused ‌Epic Games‌ to file a lawsuit against the Cupertino tech giant. "We're fighting for open platforms and policy changes equally benefiting all developers. And it'll be a hell of a fight!" Sweeney said at the time.

Three years later, both ‌Epic Games‌ and Apple are now appealing a court decision made in September 2021 that would have required Apple to allow developers to add in-app links to outside websites, paving the way for alternate payment options that do not require developers to use the in-app purchase system.

‌Epic Games‌ claims Apple's control over iOS and the ‌App Store‌ is anti-competitive and that alternative app stores should be allowed on the iPhone. Apple, on the other hand, believes the ‌App Store‌ remains the safest and most trusted way for developers to target users and users to explore apps. Sweeney has previously called the ‌App Store‌ a "disservice to developers."

For a full roundup of events and the latest developments of the high-profile case, see our guide.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:04 am PST by
Apple today released watchOS 11.3.1, a minor update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.3.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.3.1 can be downloaded by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to...
sequoia

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
Apple Ad on X

Apple Resumes Advertising on X

Wednesday February 12, 2025 2:18 pm PST by
Apple this month started advertising on X for the first time in more than a year. The company had stopped advertising on the social media platform in November 2023 following controversial remarks made by its owner Elon Musk. For example, the @Apple account is running an ad promoting Safari's privacy features. The ad was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The @AppleTV account has a...
M4 mini Glowing Blue

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 Macs

Wednesday February 12, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today added MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with M4 series chips to its certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland for the first time since the computers were introduced in October 2024. Some refurbished MacBook Pro models with M4 chips are also available in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and select other European countries. ...
pixelmator pro apple acquisition complete

Apple Completes Pixelmator Acquisition

Tuesday February 11, 2025 9:34 am PST by
Pixelmator last year announced that it was being acquired by Apple, and today the company confirmed that the acquisition has been completed after Apple received regulatory approval. The Pixelmator for iOS, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator apps were today updated with a new splash screen announcing the deal. Pixelmator is a well-known image and photo editing app that competes with Photoshop and ...

Top Rated Comments

rgeneral Avatar
28 months ago
Does that mean I can create my own Fortnite store ? Epic has to allow developers to sell skins.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
purplerainpurplerain Avatar
28 months ago
Found Sweeney and Zuckerberg’s vehicle in the metaverse



Attachment Image
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
28 months ago
Hey I want to sell my saws in Home Depot stores but I DEMAND that I be allowed to sell them and not have to pay Home Depot anything. Their shelf space fixtures, utilities, cashiers, stockpeople, facility platform etc is not my problem and I WILL NOT pay them for it. Same thing with Apple screw them and their platform costs!….I mean this whole thing brought by Epic is absolutely absurd lol.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
28 months ago

The eu won’t allow apple to charge a fee on apps installed from other stores or from the developer website. Epic will eventually get what it asked for and apple will have to comply. Kudos to epic for making it better for all of us.
I demand that CostCo allow me to sell my cereal on the highest visible shelf and I demand Costco not charge me anything for this privilege!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KanosWRX Avatar
28 months ago
Couldn't care less. Fornite needs to die and Epic needs to make a new game! Miss the old days when Epic made things like Unreal Tournament and really showcased their tech.. not the crap that is Fornite!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
28 months ago

Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users.
Yeah, because Sweeney really, really didn’t want to orchestrate the (clearly planned) ‘1984’ campaign.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)