Tim Sweeney on Fortnite’s ‘Priceless’ Return to Apple’s App Retailer

The favored recreation Fortnite is again on the US App Retailer after a 5-year authorized battle with Apple, and Epic Video games CEO Tim Sweeney tells Enterprise Insider it represents a “priceless” win for app makers all over the place.

Whereas the sport rapidly shot to the highest of the App Retailer’s video games rankings lower than 24 hours after launching, its reappearance was years within the making — and dear for Epic, which makes the sport. Sweeney beforehand advised BI’s Peter Kafka that his battle with Apple over in-app purchases has price it greater than $1 billion since 2020.

Previous to the authorized feud, Apple’s App Retailer guidelines required that Fortnite gamers — and all different iOS customers — make in-app purchases completely by means of the App Retailer, the place Apple takes as much as a 30% minimize of every transaction. In the summertime of 2020, Epic deliberately broke these guidelines, prompting Apple to take away Fortnite from iPhones and iPads, which in flip sparked Epic’s lawsuit.

In an e mail alternate with BI after Fortnite went reside on the US App Retailer, we requested Sweeney if the protracted court docket battle and authorized charges have been price it.

“Sure,” he mentioned. “These newly acknowledged freedoms are priceless.”

“The freedoms builders have gained in the US and Europe on iOS have to be delivered to the remainder of the world,” Sweeney advised BI. “I maintain out hope of Apple and Google doing that themselves, proactively, fairly than being topic to ready for various and probably contradictory new legal guidelines to be handed all over the world.”

Epic Video games is in an identical authorized battle with Google over its app retailer guidelines.

The US App Retailer approval got here after US District Decide Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers scheduled a Could 27 listening to to deal with what Epic mentioned was Apple’s noncompliance with a previous injunction, questioning Apple’s delay in approving Epic Video games’ Could 9 submission for Fortnite’s return to the US App Retailer.

A consultant for Epic Video games declined to remark additional. Apple didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by Enterprise Insider. The corporate has beforehand mentioned its App Retailer guidelines concerning funds assist guarantee the security of its customers.

Requested concerning the newest on his authorized battle with Apple, Sweeney mentioned it is ongoing.

“Apple is interesting the Court docket’s anti-steering injunction enforcement ruling made in 2025 however the Court docket’s ruling hasn’t been stayed and enchantment briefings will run by means of August 18,” he mentioned.

Spotify, Microsoft, and others backed Epic’s opposition to Apple’s movement to remain the court docket’s ruling in amicus briefs filed this week, arguing that Apple’s compliance with the order is helpful to each builders and customers.