Fortnite is returning to iOS in Australia after a court ruling ruled that Apple must open iOS to third-party app stores after finding it violated competition law.
In a 235-page decision, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that Apple had restricted app stores and alternative payment methods in order to limit competition.
Judge Jonathan Beach said the company had a “substantial degree of power in the market for iOS app distribution services and the market for in-app payment solutions in iOS apps.”
An Apple spokesperson told Reuters it would “request a stay and appeal the outcome to seek a resolution that respects our intellectual property and protects the safe and secure experience that consumers and developers have come to expect from the App Store.”
While Fortnite will be available on iOS in Australia, the Epic Games Store will follow at a later date. Additional changes to the Australian App Store will take effect in March 2027, including:
- Users can download apps directly from developers
- Developers can offer alternative payment methods, and Apple cannot require developers to use its in-app purchases or impose additional fees.
- Apple can’t stop developers from directing customers to third-party stores outside of the App Store to make purchases
- Apple cannot charge additional fees on purchases made through third-party app stores
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney described the victory as a “huge win for consumers and developers.”
Fortnite’s return to Australia follows a ruling earlier this year that restored the game to iOS globally.
Australia was excluded at the time because Epic only partially won the case, and Fortnite remained blocked due to what Epic described as “an illegal payment agreement with Apple.”
The legal dispute between Epic and Apple began in 2020, when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store for allegedly circumventing platform fees.
The store became available on iOS for EU users in September 2024. It was relaunched in the United States after a district court ruled that Apple could not charge fees on app purchases made outside of the App Store.
Gn tech
