Epic Games’ Fortnite has returned to the U.S. Google Play Store after a settlement in its five-year antitrust lawsuit against Google over in-app purchase commissions. The dispute originated in 2020 when Epic bypassed platform payment systems, prompting removals from both Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
In August 2020, Epic Games released an updated version of Fortnite for iOS and Android devices that circumvented the standard in-app payment systems required by Apple and Google. This update allowed players to purchase in-game items directly through Epic’s own system, avoiding the 30% commission charged by the platforms. In response, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store on August 13, 2020, citing violation of its developer guidelines. Google followed suit two days later, suspending Epic’s developer account and pulling the game from the Play Store.
Epic Games immediately filed antitrust lawsuits against both companies, alleging monopolistic practices in controlling app distribution and payments. The suits challenged the platforms’ restrictions on alternative payment options and their commission structures, which Epic argued stifled competition and inflated costs for developers and consumers.
🚨 Fortnite is back on the Google Play Store in the U.S. following Google’s compliance with the U.S. District Court’s injunction. We’re continuing to work with Google to seek court approval of our settlement. Stay tuned for news of Fortnite's return to Google Play to the rest of… https://t.co/HgUgZofeBW
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) December 11, 2025
In the Apple case, a federal court in 2021 ruled that Apple did not operate as a monopolist in the mobile gaming market but violated California’s unfair competition law by blocking developers from informing users about external payment methods. The court mandated that Apple permit developers to include links or buttons directing users to alternative payment systems outside the App Store. Apple appealed this decision, and on April 24, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially overturned the injunction. The appeals court described certain restrictions imposed on Apple as overbroad, allowing the company to prohibit developers from designing links to external payments in a way that makes them larger or more prominent than Apple’s in-app purchase buttons.
The appeals court further permitted Apple to impose a commission fee on purchases made through external links, even if processed outside the App Store. This provision reverses a prior opportunity for developers to avoid Apple’s 30% fee entirely, affecting the financial arrangements many had established following the initial ruling.
By contrast, Epic achieved a full victory in its lawsuit against Google. A jury in December 2023 found that Google engaged in anticompetitive behavior by entering agreements with device manufacturers and developers to maintain dominance in Android app distribution. As a result, Google settled with Epic in December 2024, agreeing to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment mechanisms without restriction. The settlement also includes a cap on fees Google can charge for such external transactions over the next several years.
Under this agreement, Fortnite became available again on the U.S. Google Play Store on April 24, 2025. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney described the resolution as a comprehensive solution that doubled down on Android as an open platform, enabling broader choices for developers and users in payment processing.
