Many mobile gamers and users have likely heard about the battle between Epic Games and Apple over the App Store’s policies and fees. The conflict began in 2020 when Epic accused Apple of monopolizing the app market by forcing developers to use its store. While Apple takes a 30% commission, it only needs about 8-12% to run the App Store. As a protest, Epic introduced its own payment system in Fortnite, which led to Apple removing the game (radical – there’s nothing to say here). Epic then filed a high-profile lawsuit and launched a public campaign against what it called Apple’s ‘monopoly’ on app distribution. This legal battle has turned into a multi-year fight that’s raised questions about how mobile app markets should operate.
In 2025, the court finally ruled that Apple must change its payment policies in the App Store. We thought it’d be helpful to quickly walk through the key events of the case to highlight how it’s progressed and the communication between the two companies.
A Timeline of Epic Games and Apple Scandal
Since this conflict dragged on for five years, it’s clear that it wasn’t an easy battle. Both sides defended their interests fiercely, filing lawsuits and appeals along the way. To better understand how things led to the final court ruling, we will break down the key moments in this dispute. This timeline will help you see how each event unfolded, why certain decisions were made, how the court’s interim rulings were implemented, and how both parties continued to push back against each other. And a little spoiler – this isn’t the end yet, and the showdown between Epic Games and Apple is still unfolding. :)
- June 2020: Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney publicly criticizes Apple’s App Store model and calls the iOS App Store a ‘monopoly’ that protects Apple’s profit rather than device security. He advocates for allowing developers to process their own payments and for users to install software from outside the App Store, insisting Epic seeks no special deal but a level playing field for all developers.
- July 2020: Epic kicked things off by slipping its own payment option into Fortnite, sidestepping Apple’s in-app purchase system (and that 30 percent cut). Apple yanked Fortnite from the App Store the same day. The stakes were huge – Apple risked roughly $300 million a month in iOS Fortnite revenue, while Epic instantly lost access to millions of iPhone and iPad players.
- August 2020: Epic hit back with an antitrust lawsuit and launched a bold #FreeFortnite campaign. They dropped “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite,” a playful take on Apple’s iconic 1984 ad that cast Apple as the modern monopolist. Epic poured about $6 million into the push, arguing that Apple’s App Store rules stifle competition and trap developers and users in an unfair system.
- September 2020: U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers intervened, blocking Apple from terminating Epic’s developer account but not reinstating Fortnite on iOS. This ruling allowed Epic to continue supporting Unreal Engine, protecting 1,000+ developers from disruption. However, Epic still faced a $1 billion revenue loss from iOS due to Fortnite being removed. The legal battle intensified, with both sides digging in their heels.
- May 2021: The fight hit the courtroom in a weeks-long bench trial. Epic said Apple’s App Store rules break antitrust law; Apple shot back that it keeps users safe and the experience smooth. Epic reportedly spent about $15 million lining up expert witnesses and market studies. Apple, for its part, was defending a storefront that accounts for roughly 60 percent of its global services revenue, so the stakes couldn’t have been higher. The trial wrapped without an immediate verdict, but all the big arguments were on record.
- September 2021: Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down a split decision. Epic lost on the big antitrust claims, but it did score on one key point – Apple has to let developers point customers to outside payment options – changes that analysts say could peel as much as $2 billion a year off Apple’s App Store take. On the flip side, Epic was found in breach of contract for sneaking its own payment system into Fortnite and was ordered to pay Apple about $6 million, covering the fees it tried to dodge.
- October 2021: Epic appealed the court’s decision, continuing to challenge the ruling on antitrust grounds. Apple also filed an appeal, seeking to delay the implementation of the ruling on external payment links. At this point, the conflict’s financial stakes were rising, with Epic potentially gaining access to hundreds of millions of dollars in iOS revenue if the court ruled in its favor. At this point, the conflict could have ended, but Apple only reduced its commission from 30% to 27%, which didn’t fully meet the court’s ruling. As a result, both sides kept filing appeals, dragging the case on longer. This delayed further court decisions and stretched out the battle, leaving everyone waiting for a final resolution.
- Late 2023 – Early 2024: In response to the court order and regulatory pressure, Apple has tweaked its App Store rules. Now, “reader” apps like Netflix and Spotify can include external sign-up links, and other developers can apply to add external payment links too. However, Apple still takes a 27% cut on those transactions (down from 30%) and enforces strict design rules for how the links look. Kind of feels like a slap in the face, doesn’t it? That’s exactly what critics (including Epic) are saying. They argue Apple’s so-called “fix” barely touches the core of the court’s intent, calling it “blatantly anti-competitive” and “commercially unworkable” because of the added fees and unnecessary friction.
- March 2024: Epic moves to hold Apple in contempt, arguing that the 27% “tax” on external payments, plus the warning pop-ups Apple shows to scare users away from outside links, undercut entirely the injunction’s intent.
- Spring, 2025: Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple had willfully defied her injunction – she even accused the company of misleading the court and blatantly ignoring its orders. She then tightened the injunction: developers can no longer be blocked from telling users about outside payment options, and that 27% “tax” on external transactions is struck down. Epic hailed it as a landslide victory. Tim Sweeney couldn’t hide his excitement, declaring, “Game over for the Apple Tax,” and pointing out that Apple’s 15-30% fees are now illegal in the U.S., just like they’ve been ruled in the EU. He even threw out a “peace proposal” – Epic will drop all litigation if Apple rolls this tax-free model out globally.
When it seemed like this legal battle was winding down, Apple asked the Ninth Circuit to pause key parts of the ruling shaking up the App Store. In their filing, Apple called the decision “unprecedented,” arguing it unlawfully forces them to give up control over core operations. They even claim the judge effectively set their prices to zero and dictated how developers must show external payment options.
What’s really odd is that Apple’s already started rolling out parts of that very ruling – some apps now include direct links to outside payment systems, just like the court ordered. It feels like they’re resisting change even while making it. So is this really about control, or just another example of dragging their feet against an inevitable market shift?
Will the Court’s Decision to Change the Payment Rules in the App Store Affect Anything?
Even though the final court ruling, which changed the payment rules for the App Store, was only on April 30, 2025, several apps had already updated their payment systems by early May. These apps took advantage of the decision, allowing users to purchase through external payment methods and bypass Apple’s 30% commission.
Here is a list of applications that have already made changes:
- In early May 2025, Spotify rolled out an update to its iOS app that lets you subscribe or upgrade to Premium via a direct link to Spotify’s website, completely bypassing Apple’s in-app purchase system. U.S. iPhone users can now see subscription prices and sign up without Apple taking its 30% cut. Apple green-lit the change on May 2, 2025, making Spotify the first big app to fully support external payments with no strings attached. Additionally, on May 9, 2025, Spotify rolled out an update (pending Apple’s approval) that would let anyone buy individual audiobooks right in the app and give Premium subscribers the option to “top up” their listening hours once they’ve used up their 15-hour monthly allotment. It’s a win for authors, listeners, and developers alike (if Apple signs off and the court’s ruling holds up against Apple’s ongoing pushback).
- Patreon released iOS app v125.5.0, adding web-based payments for new memberships. As of May 5, U.S. users can hit “Join” and pay via Apple Pay, credit card, PayPal, or Venmo on Patreon’s website – no more Apple in-app purchases. “This ruling is a huge moment for creators and fans,” Patreon said, noting that external payments help creators keep more of what they earn.
- Amazon’s Kindle app for iOS finally lets you buy e-books right from the app – just tap the new “Get Book” button on any book page, and you’re taken straight to Amazon’s website to complete your purchase. Until now, iPhone and iPad users had to switch to a browser because of Apple’s in-app purchase rules. Thanks to the Epic v. Apple injunction, Apple can’t block or tax external purchases anymore, so Amazon has rolled out this long-requested feature.
- Proton VPN (from Proton AG) was quick to act after the Epic ruling. On May 1, 2025, Proton’s CEO announced that iOS users can now subscribe directly on Proton’s website, and with Apple’s commission out of the way, they’ve slashed iOS prices by up to 30%. Proton’s Andy Yen noted that Apple had been imposing an “illegal in-app purchase monopoly,” and welcomed the ruling as a win for consumers.
It’s wild – major apps rolled out updates just two weeks after the court’s decision. That lightning-fast turnaround shows how quickly companies are adapting. In no time, global favorites with millions of users have revamped their payment flows to comply. We’re sure more will jump on board soon.
Huh, it’s over. It has been a challenge to structure all the information over these years, as the situation between Epic Games and Apple has been complex and ongoing. Yet, this issue is far from finished. We will continue to observe and wait for the first results and consequences.
