Fortnite has returned to the U.S. Google Play Store. This follows a court order after Epic Games settled its lengthy legal battle with Google. The dispute centered on the share of sales from in-app purchases that developers must give to the platform.
Epic Games initially removed Fortnite from Apple and Google stores in 2020. The company had introduced a version of the game that bypassed the standard in-app payment systems. Both companies removed the game, leading Epic to file antitrust lawsuits against them.
In the case against Apple, the court previously ruled that Apple was not a monopolist. However, it required Apple to let developers direct users to other payment options. A recent appeals court decision has partially overturned the terms of that ruling. The court called some restrictions on Apple overbroad. The new ruling states Apple can prevent developers from making their payment links more prominent than Apple’s own. It also allows Apple to charge a fee on purchases made outside the App Store, which is a setback for developers.
Regarding Google, the return of Fortnite to the Play Store comes after Google lost its court battle. The court ruled Google had engaged in anticompetitive behavior. The new agreement requires Google to let app developers point to alternative payment methods and places caps on the fees Google can charge. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney referred to the settlement as a comprehensive solution that reinforces Android as an open platform.