The long-running legal battle between Apple and Epic Games has taken yet another dramatic turn. After years of fighting over App Store policies, the US courts have once again ruled against Apple — this time for not fully complying with previous orders around external payments. Now, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has made a bold offer: if Apple stops charging commissions on external payments globally, Fortnite will return to the App Store — and the lawsuits will stop. But there’s a catch.
Apple’s latest legal blow could cost real money
Back in 2021, Epic Games argued that Apple’s App Store practices were monopolistic. The courts agreed and ruled in 2024 that Apple must allow developers to link out to third-party payment systems. But instead of embracing the ruling, Apple changed its guidelines in a way many saw as dodging the verdict. Now, Judge Gonzalez Rogers has called Apple out for violating the “spirit” of the ruling — ordering the company to stop charging commissions on any transactions that happen outside its ecosystem and to fully allow external linking.
This latest ruling could hit Apple’s bottom line hard. With developers now allowed to sidestep App Store payments, Apple may lose a big chunk of its lucrative commission revenue — and things might get worse if it’s forced to apply the same rules worldwide.
Sweeney’s offer: Fortnite back, lawsuits done
Epic’s Tim Sweeney is calling this a major win. And he’s ready to make a deal: if Apple applies the new anti-steering rules globally, Epic will bring Fortnite back to iPhones and iPads next week and halt all litigation. That means no more court drama, but also no more commission from any Fortnite-related transactions — just the standard $99 developer fee.
For Apple, this is a tough sell. Hosting Fortnite would cost Apple plenty in server and store infrastructure — but it wouldn’t earn them anything in return. Still, for fans, Fortnite’s return would be a big win.
Global impact or more court battles?
While Epic frames this as a fair and long overdue solution, Apple’s history says otherwise. The company has consistently opted to fight in court rather than give in to policy changes it sees as harmful to its ecosystem. Extending the ruling globally would set a precedent that could ripple across its entire App Store business — not just with Epic, but with countless other developers too.
So far, Apple hasn’t responded to the offer. But one thing is clear: this battle isn’t over. It’s just heading into its next round.
