Fortnite set to reappear on Australian App Store after court ruling
Epic Games said Fortnite will come back to the Australian App Store after the country's Federal Court ruled Apple breached competition rules and directed it to open iOS. The court-ordered changes, set for March 2027, will allow third-party stores, direct app downloads, and alternative payment options, while limiting Apple's ability to charge certain fees. Fortnite had remained unavailable in Australia while Epic sought additional rulings about Apple's payment terms.
Epic Games kept Fortnite off Australia's App Store even after the game returned to most other markets in May, because it wanted further court orders addressing Apple's payment conditions. The Australian Federal Court has now found Apple's conduct breached competition law and ordered changes taking effect in March 2027.
Those changes include permitting third-party app stores, letting users download software straight from developers, and allowing alternative payment systems without Apple mandating its own in-app purchases or levying what Epic calls junk fees. Apple also cannot prevent developers from directing users to outside purchase options.
Australian iOS users could gain more choice over where they download apps and how they pay, potentially lowering prices and giving developers more leverage. Smaller studios may benefit from alternative storefronts and payment routes, though fragmentation and security concerns could emerge. Apple's revenue from Australian app transactions may shrink, and the ruling could influence regulators elsewhere weighing similar competition cases. The practical effects remain uncertain until the ordered changes take effect in 2027.