The smash hit online game Fortnite will be returning to iPhones in Australia after a federal court judge there ruled Tuesday that Apple and Google breached competition laws by expelling the game from their app stores in 2020.
Australian Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach found that Apple and Google used their market power to reduce competition against developers and users. In its lawsuit, initiated in August 2020, Epic Games claimed the tech giants charged too much for downloads of Epic’s games and wouldn’t allow users to download the game-maker’s own app store.
In an X post Tuesday, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said, “Fortnite will return to the Land Down Under through Epic Games Store at a date to be determined.”
Tuesday’s ruling is the latest in a years-long battle between Epic and Apple that globally spans a US lawsuit, lawsuits in the UK and Europe and the one in Australia. Fortnite returned to the App Store in US markets two months ago, is available in the EU on its Epic Games Store in iOS, and also will be returning in Japan in late 2025.
In all those cases, Fortnite and other Epic games have been made available to purchase outside of the Apple App Store.
## Big money in Fortnite
With about 650 million registered Fortnite players worldwide and 1.3 million playing daily, there’s huge money at stake for all parties involved.
Epic Games filed suit in Australia after the Apple and Google app stores expelled Fortnite when the game launched an in-app payment system, thereby bypassing sales commissions for Apple and Google. Under its terms and conditions for developers, Apple does not allow third-party app stores to be distributed on iPhones and iPads in Australia.
Epic said that decision forced developers to fork over 15 to 30% of games sales revenue in fees to Apple and Google.
In its statement on X, Epic Games said, “There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully understand the details. This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!”
In an X post Tuesday, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said, “Fortnite will return to the Land Down Under through Epic Games Store at a date to be determined.”
In all those cases, Fortnite and other Epic games have been made available to purchase outside of the Apple App Store.
Epic Games filed suit in Australia after the Apple and Google app stores expelled Fortnite when the game launched an in-app payment system, thereby bypassing sales commissions for Apple and Google.
Under its terms and conditions for developers, Apple does not allow third-party app stores to be distributed on iPhones and iPads in Australia.
In its statement on X, Epic Games said, “There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully understand the details.
The smash hit online game Fortnite will be returning to iPhones in Australia after a federal court judge there ruled Tuesday that Apple and Google breached competition laws by expelling the game from their app stores in 2020.
Australian Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach found that Apple and Google used their market power to reduce competition against developers and users. In its lawsuit, initiated in August 2020, Epic Games claimed the tech giants charged too much for downloads of Epic’s games and wouldn’t allow users to download the game-maker’s own app store.
In an X post Tuesday, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said, “Fortnite will return to the Land Down Under through Epic Games Store at a date to be determined.”
Tuesday’s ruling is the latest in a years-long battle between Epic and Apple that globally spans a US lawsuit, lawsuits in the UK and Europe and the one in Australia. Fortnite returned to the App Store in US markets two months ago, is available in the EU on its Epic Games Store in iOS, and also will be returning in Japan in late 2025.
In all those cases, Fortnite and other Epic games have been made available to purchase outside of the Apple App Store.
Big money in Fortnite
With about 650 million registered Fortnite players worldwide and 1.3 million playing daily, there’s huge money at stake for all parties involved.
Epic Games filed suit in Australia after the Apple and Google app stores expelled Fortnite when the game launched an in-app payment system, thereby bypassing sales commissions for Apple and Google. Under its terms and conditions for developers, Apple does not allow third-party app stores to be distributed on iPhones and iPads in Australia.
Epic said that decision forced developers to fork over 15 to 30% of games sales revenue in fees to Apple and Google.
In its statement on X, Epic Games said, “There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully understand the details. This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!”
