Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite will soon return to iOS devices in Australia, following a decision by the historic federal court which revealed that the Apple and Google application markets were anti -competitive. The game will be made available via the Epic Games store on a date to announce, while the company is working on the implications of the decision.
The court finds market power with misuse of Apple and Google
Epic’s announcement intervened after a judge of the Federal Court, Jonathan Beach, judged that Apple and Google had abused their domination in the distribution of applications and integrated payment systems. According to the Australian Financial Review, the court concluded that the two companies used commission fees of up to 30% to reduce competition. However, Beach rejected the allegations that technology giants had violated consumer law or embarked on “unacceptable behavior” – behavior considered to be particularly hard or unfair.
The final judgment, which extends over more than 2,000 pages, has not yet been made public. Epic continued Apple for the first time in November 2020 and Google in March 2021, the two cases being heard together despite months of interval.
In an article on X, the CEO of Epic, Tim Sweeney, said: “The Epic Games and Fortnite store will come to iOS in Australia! An Australian court has just noted that Apple and Google abuse their control over the distribution of applications and integrated payments to limit competition. There are more than 2,000 pages of conclusions that we will need to dig fully… ”
The Epic Games and Fortnite store will come to iOS in Australia! An Australian court has just noted that Apple and Google abuse their control over the distribution of applications and payments in application to limit competition. There are more than 2,000 pages of results in which we will have to dig completely …
– Epic Games Newsroom (@epicnewsroom) August 12, 2025
Apple and Google mixed reactions
Google’s spokesperson Dan Jackson praised the court rejection of some EPIC requests, such as the requirement of application stores to be distributed in Google Play, and defended business security protections. However, he added: “We do not agree with the characterization by the court of our billing policies and practices, as well as its conclusions concerning some of our historic partnerships, which have all been shaped in a fiercely competitive mobile landscape for users and developers. We will examine the complete decision when we receive them and assess our next steps. ”
Apple has published a similar Declaration to ABC NewsSaying that he was happy that the court rejected parties of the Epic affair but did not agree with other conclusions. “Apple faces fierce competition on each market where we operate,” said the spokesperson. “We are constantly investing and innovating to make the App Store the safest place for users to obtain applications and an excellent commercial opportunity for developers in Australia and in the world.”
The wider global battle continues
Epic’s legal disputes with Apple and Google started in the United States on August 13, 2020 in two separate cases with different results. The company has largely lost its file against Apple after having brought it before the Supreme Court of the United States, although Apple can still face restrictions on its store not to comply with an order from the District Court.
Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 during the initial dispute, before returning to Iphones in the EU last year via the Epic Games store for iOS. Apple also restored Fortnite in its iPhone App Store in May this year.
Epic behaved better against Google in the United States. At the end of 2023, a jury unanimously ruled that Google had transformed its play store and played the billing system into an illegal monopoly. The decision was confirmed in July of this year by a panel of the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Unless Google provides an additional stay or call, this could considerably reduce its control over the distribution of applications in the coming months. Google argued that apple decision should influence the result of its case; However, US courts have so far disagreed.
