Epic Games has filed a formal request asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to compel Apple to reinstate Fortnite on the U.S. App Store, citing the tech giant’s refusal to approve the game despite recent legal rulings.
The Legal Push for App Store Reinstatement
Epic Games is escalating its efforts to pressure Apple to allow its game Fortnite into the App Store, with a new court filing asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to require that Apple “accept any compliant version of Fortnite onto the U.S. storefront of the App Store.”
The two companies have been locked in a multi-year legal battle centered on Apple’s App Store policies, specifically the commission fees imposed on in-app purchases.
A Battle Over “Willful Violation”
The Fortnite publisher secured a significant victory last month when Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple was in “willful violation” of an injunction regarding anti-competitive pricing. This decision appeared to clear a path for Fortnite’s return to the App Store and promised a wider shift allowing developers to implement alternative payment options.
However, Apple has confirmed its intent to appeal the ruling. On Friday, Epic reported that the company is blocking Fortnite from the U.S. App Store and hindering its release on the Epic Games store in Europe, stating: “Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”
Conflicting Narratives on Global Access
Apple has pushed back against these claims, specifically denying that it is blocking Fortnite outside of the United States. The company contends that it requested Epic Sweden to “resubmit the app update without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies.”
Regarding the U.S. market, Epic shared a letter from Apple attorney Mark A. Perry. The correspondence states that “Apple has determined not to take action on the Fortnite app submission until after the Ninth Circuit rules on our pending request for a partial stay of the new injunction.”
Epic’s Allegations of Retaliation
In its latest filing, Epic Games argues that Apple is actively denying them “the ability to take advantage of the pro-competitive rules it helped usher in.” Epic further accuses the iPhone maker of “punishing” them by excluding them from the market they fought to open, claiming this serves as a warning to other developers who might challenge Apple’s business practices.
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