Apple Must Approve Fortnite or Face Legal Consequences, Judge Warns
Is Apple blocking Fortnite from returning to the App Store? That’s the big question users are asking—and the answer may soon come from a courtroom. In a dramatic twist in the ongoing Epic Games vs. Apple legal saga, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ordered Apple to either approve Fortnite’s latest submission to the U.S. App Store or return to court to justify its refusal. This new development intensifies the high-stakes standoff that could impact app store policy, antitrust enforcement, and mobile gaming revenue worldwide.
In a recent filing, Judge Gonzalez Rogers made it clear that Apple may be in violation of the court’s prior injunction. The judge criticized the tech giant for appearing to sidestep legal orders, demanding that Apple provide the legal authority behind its inaction. She further insisted the company name the specific executive responsible for compliance—a move widely interpreted as a potential precursor to contempt charges.
This legal tension arises after Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, re-submitted the game to Apple’s App Store following a significant win. A previous ruling granted Epic the right to include external payment links within its app—an issue that sits at the heart of Apple’s App Store monetization strategy and could affect billions in mobile ad revenue and in-app purchases. Despite that ruling, Apple declined to take immediate action, stating it would wait for the Ninth Circuit’s decision on its appeal for a partial stay.
But Epic isn’t waiting. Last Friday, the company filed a new motion to compel enforcement of the original injunction, arguing that Apple’s delay tactics violate the spirit and letter of the court’s decision. For consumers and developers alike, the outcome of this battle could reshape how digital marketplaces operate—especially regarding app monetization, developer autonomy, and platform fairness.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers’s latest move sends a strong signal: Big Tech won't be allowed to skirt court orders without consequences. Whether Apple will back down or double down remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—this case is far from over, and the future of mobile gaming and app store policies hangs in the balance.
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