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In a legal setback to the developers behind Fortnite, Epic Games, the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt a decisive blow against them in their prolonged legal battle with Apple. The verdict marks a crucial breakthrough in the ongoing conflict between the two corporate giants, specifically centered around the Apple App Store's operational policies.
In 2020, Epic Games filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. It was aimed at Apple's management of its highly profitable App Store. Epic Games raised an issue with Apple's policies that govern the distribution and monetization of software within the App Store. The developers contended that they violated federal antitrust laws.
Fortnite will probably not be back on iOS after the Epic Games vs. Apple Supreme Court verdict
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It turns out that the U.S. Supreme Court has chosen to rule against Epic Games' appeal regarding the issue. This upholds a prior decision on the issue passed by a lower court. The lower court had previously decided that Apple's policies were not in violation of any antitrust laws. Now, it seems that sentiment is echoed by the U.S. Supreme Court's verdict.
The legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games began when Epic Games introduced a direct payment system in Fortnite. This was done to bypass the in-app purchase structure of the App Store. In response to Epic Games' integration of a direct payment structure, Apple removed the game from the app store. This left iOS players stuck in Chapter 2 Season 3.
The action prompted a response from Epic Games. This came in the form of a campaign and antitrust lawsuit. Epic Games even put the Tart Tycoon skin in the game as a taunt towards Apple.
What the U.S. Supreme Court verdict means for Fortnite moving forward
The Supreme Court's decision to rule against Epic Games highlights the ongoing discussion around the operational policies of the App Store. The court's ruling reinforces the exclusive right that Apple has to establish the guidelines within its digital marketplace.
While passed by the highest court in the U.S., this verdict shouldn't affect the upcoming sideloading feature expected to be coming to the EU App Store. The feature will allow developers to publish their apps on the App Store without the usual approval process. This could potentially pave the way for Fortnite to return to iOS devices in some form.
The Supreme Court's verdict is definitely a setback for Epic Games. However, it will be interesting to see if and how the developers navigate this problem, especially with the sideloading feature coming to EU App Store.
