On August 12, 2025, Epic Games, creator of the globally popular game Fortnite, won a significant partial victory against tech giants Apple and Google in the Federal Court of Australia.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Jonathan Beach, found that both Apple and Google engaged in anti-competitive conduct through their dominant control over their app stores, violating Australia’s competition laws. However, the court rejected some of Epic’s claims, including allegations of unconscionable conduct under Australian law.
Background of the Legal Battle
The dispute began in August 2020 when both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store removed Fortnite following Epic’s attempt to implement a direct payment system within the game—bypassing the platforms’ mandatory commission fees.
Epic subsequently sued both companies, alleging they abused their monopoly power in app distribution and in-app payment systems to stifle competition and impose unfair fees on developers and consumers. This possibly included even gamers who are also into no KYC platforms, which you can read more here.
Key Findings of the Court
Justice Beach ruled that Apple and Google hold substantial market power—Apple through its restrictions on in-app payment and app distribution on iOS, and Google as the predominant supplier of Android apps.
The court concluded this dominance had the effect of substantially lessening competition, breaching Australian competition laws. Epic’s case demonstrated that Apple and Google used contractual and technological means to pressure developers to use only their platforms for selling apps and processing payments.
However, while the court found anti-competitive conduct, it did not find that the companies intentionally broke the law in all respects. Notably, the claim that Apple engaged in unconscionable conduct was dismissed.
Implications and Potential Impact
This ruling marks a major win for Epic Games—and potentially for millions of app developers and consumers in Australia—by exposing anti-competitive practices of two of the world’s largest digital platform operators.
Legal experts anticipate the decision could pave the way for one of the largest class-action payouts in Australian history, with compensation claims possibly reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
The judgment is expected to have wide-reaching effects on how digital platforms operate, promoting greater competition, transparency, and consumer fairness in app marketplaces.
Responses from the Parties Involved
Epic Games heralded the ruling as “Another HUGE win for Epic Games!” and announced that Fortnite and the Epic Games Store will be returning to iOS in Australia at a date to be determined. CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized the ruling as a victory for fairness in digital app distribution and payments.
Apple acknowledged the rejection of some of Epic’s claims but strongly disagreed with others, stating it faces fierce competition in every market where it operates. Google echoed a similar stance, disagreeing with the court’s characterization of its billing policies and historic partnerships, and said it will review the full judgment.
Both companies have the option to appeal the ruling as they consider their next steps.
Wider Context
Epic Games has been engaged in a global legal campaign challenging Apple and Google’s dominance in app marketplaces, with ongoing cases in the United States, the United Kingdom, and now Australia. In 2023, Epic won a related antitrust case against Google in the US but was less successful against Apple.
The Australian court ruling comes as part of broader scrutiny and regulatory pressure on tech giants to open their ecosystems and allow alternative payment options and app distribution methods. This will potentially reshape the mobile app economy, possibly including even no KYC platforms that you can read more here.
With Fortnite’s return to iOS in Australia imminent, this ruling has sparked renewed hope for developers seeking more competitive and fair digital platform environments worldwide.
