Epic Games has officially submitted Fortnite to Apple’s App Store, marking a major step in a years-long legal battle.
The popular game was removed in 2020 after Epic added a payment link to its website, bypassing Apple’s commission fees.
This move triggered Apple’s response and led to a lengthy legal conflict between the two tech giants, stretching across global courts.
A recent court ruling sided with Epic Games, stating Apple cannot block external payment links or control their appearance as buttons.
The decision opened the door for Fortnite’s return, although Apple has yet to approve the game’s submission.
Apple is appealing last month’s contempt ruling.
The outcome has already changed how developers approach payments, shifting the economics of iPhone app development significantly.
Apple usually takes a 15% to 30% fee for in-app purchases, but external links help companies avoid those fees entirely.
Before the court’s decision, Apple allowed link-outs but still charged a 27% commission, which developers saw as unfair.
Now, major companies like Amazon and Spotify have added buttons in their apps linking to their own websites.
Amazon’s Kindle app, for example, now displays a “Get Book” button, guiding users to buy directly from Amazon’s site.
Fortnite has remained available in Europe through Epic’s own store, using a legal framework allowing third-party app markets.
Players have also accessed Fortnite on iPhones using cloud gaming services, keeping the game alive despite Apple’s restrictions.
