Epic Games has scored a major legal victory in Australia, paving the way for Fortnite’s return to iOS in the country. In two separate rulings, the Federal Court of Australia found that both Apple and Google violated local competition laws by abusing their dominant positions in the app store market.
The court specifically criticized the 30% commission charged on in-app purchases, labeling it as a significant barrier to fair competition.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed that Fortnite will soon be available on iOS in Australia through the Epic Games Store. However, while the decision is a big step forward for Epic, not all of its claims were upheld. The court dismissed allegations that Apple and Google breached consumer laws or engaged in “unconscionable conduct.”
Both tech giants issued statements disagreeing with the verdict, particularly regarding the findings against their billing systems and alleged anticompetitive practices.
Epic’s legal battle with Apple in Australia began in November 2020, with similar proceedings against Google filed in March 2021. The cases were handled together, and while the court’s verdict spans over 2,000 pages, it will remain confidential for now. This latest development adds Australia to the growing list of regions where Epic is challenging the app store status quo.