Epic Claims Apple Blocks Fortnite's U.S. Return, Sweeney Tweets Cook

Epic's ongoing feud with Apple over the future of Fortnite on iOS devices has escalated, with Epic now alleging that Apple is obstructing its efforts to relaunch Fortnite on the U.S. App Store. This development comes after Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, announced earlier this month that Fortnite would soon return to iOS devices following a pivotal court ruling.

On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had deliberately violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case. The order mandated that Apple allow developers to provide alternative payment options outside of their apps. This ruling was significant, as it aimed to break Apple's control over in-app purchases.

Epic's Tim Sweeney remains steadfast in his mission to challenge Apple and Google, vowing to continue the fight for as long as necessary. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg. In January, IGN highlighted Sweeney's substantial financial commitment to this battle, noting that he had spent billions fighting against Apple and Google's app store policies. Sweeney views this as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, confident that Epic can sustain the legal battle for decades if needed.

The core of the dispute lies in Epic's refusal to pay the customary 30% store fees on mobile game revenue. Epic aims to distribute Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store, bypassing Apple and Google's fees. This disagreement led to Fortnite's removal from iOS back in 2020.

Following Sweeney's recent announcement, expectations were high for Fortnite's return to iOS. However, Epic has now released a statement to IGN, revealing that Apple has blocked its Fortnite submission, preventing a release on the U.S. App Store and the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Consequently, Fortnite will remain offline on iOS devices worldwide until Apple lifts the block.

This situation is dire for Epic, which has already lost billions in revenue since Fortnite was removed from iPhones five years ago. In an attempt to resolve the issue, Sweeney has publicly appealed to Apple CEO Tim Cook via Twitter:

“Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.”

Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025

In the wake of the court ruling, Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for violating the U.S. court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, "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."

The judge 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 with the injunction. In response, Apple expressed disagreement with the court's decision but affirmed its intention to comply while appealing the ruling. Last week, Apple requested a pause on the ruling from the U.S. appeals court.