Judge Orders Apple to Approve Fortnite or Face Court

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has issued a stern ultimatum to Apple: approve the return of Fortnite to the U.S. App Store or appear in court to justify the refusal. The directive comes after the tech giant stalled on the game’s submission, citing pending legal appeals.

A direct challenge to Apple’s compliance

In a recent filing, the judge expressed clear frustration, demanding that Apple identify the specific legal authority it believes permits the company to disregard the court’s previous orders. Gonzalez Rogers emphasized that Apple is fully capable of resolving this matter without further hearings, provided it takes immediate action.

The judge’s demand for the name of the specific Apple official responsible for compliance suggests that the court is moving toward potential contempt charges. This follows a previous ruling in which Gonzalez Rogers accused Apple of attempting to bypass judicial mandates and, more severely, questioned the company’s honesty under oath.

The core of the dispute

The conflict escalated after Epic Games resubmitted Fortnite to the App Store following a court-ordered victory that granted developers the right to include links to external payment systems. Rather than approving the app, Apple informed Epic Games that it would hold the submission until the Ninth Circuit rules on its request for a partial stay of the injunction.

Epic Games filed a motion to compel enforcement of the injunction last Friday, prompting the judge’s latest intervention. The dispute highlights the ongoing tension surrounding Apple’s App Store policies, particularly regarding:

• The requirement for developers to use “scare screens” when directing users to external payment sites.
• A 27% commission fee that Apple still charges on alternative purchases, despite the court ruling.
• The broader battle over anticompetitive pricing and commission structures.

Broader implications for the App Store

While Apple previously emerged victorious in the initial antitrust lawsuit—with the court ruling it was not a monopolist—the specific win for Epic regarding external payment options has had a ripple effect. Several major services, including Spotify, Amazon Kindle, and Patreon, have already updated their applications to utilize these new payment capabilities.

The outcome of this specific standoff could set a significant precedent for how Apple navigates similar regulatory pressures in global markets. For now, the court expects a resolution from Apple without the need for further legal proceedings.