Tim Sweeney says Apple told Epic that it will not consider reinstating Epic's developer account until all legal appeals have concluded, likely years from now

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney revealed the conversation in a series of tweets — Fortnite will not be returning to the iOS App Store any time soon … Source: Epic Games .

The Verge 2021-09-23

Context & Ripple Effects

Epic's iOS dispute had already been split in two by a court: Fortnite was kept off the App Store, while an injunction protected Unreal Engine from retaliation. Apple's position now turns restoration of Epic's developer access into something contingent on the full appeals process.

First-order effects

Epic loses any near-term route to return Fortnite to the iOS App Store because Apple will not consider reinstating its developer account before appeals conclude.
Apple retains control over Epic's App Store access while the litigation continues, even as the earlier injunction preserves Epic's Unreal Engine business.

Second-order effects

The appeals timetable becomes a practical distribution gate for Fortnite: Epic cannot resolve its iOS absence through account reinstatement separate from the broader case.
The split between protected development tools and unavailable consumer-app distribution gives Apple room to defend its App Store decision without disrupting Unreal Engine users.

Third-order effects

The dispute illustrates how developer-account control can function as a software-distribution control point alongside App Store rules, with courts determining the boundary between enforcement and retaliation.
If this pattern persists, platform litigation will increasingly hinge on whether access to developer credentials is treated as a remedy, a contractual privilege, or a separate competitive constraint.

The trend: Mobile-platform disputes are expanding from app-review decisions into fights over the developer-account access that determines whether a publisher can distribute at all.

Discussion

@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
Late last night, Apple informed Epic that Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals, which could be as long as a 5-year process.
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
Just last week, Epic agreed with Apple that we would play by the same rules as everyone else. https://twitter.com/...
@imgoldenyt Golden on x
New Fortnite iOS updates: - You can no longer purchase vbucks, or spend vbucks - The battlepass tab has been re-enabled - The stats tab has been re-enabled - The shop and vbucks tab have been removed completely Technically the direct payment system is no longer in the app 👀 https…
@gruber John Gruber on x
@mgsiegler Strong disagree. I don't see how Epic got anything, and they've lost a lot. We shall see.
@gruber John Gruber on x
@mgsiegler I don't think the Fortnite developer account is coming back.
@msantoriesq Marco Santori on x
It's fascinating to watch Big Tech companies, in real time, hastening their classification and regulation as public utilities. https://twitter.com/...
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
@adamkovac In my September 16 email to Phil Schiller, I wrote “Epic promises that it will adhere to Apple's guidelines whenever and wherever we release products on Apple platforms.” Earlier, Epic counsel had separately conveyed similar assurances to Apple counsel. https://twitter…
@weeabob @weeabob on x
me fucking around: Haha fuck yeah!!! Yes!! me finding out: https://twitter.com/...
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
Read that way, this is the logical extension on both sides. Epic applies to go back (despite appealing, because why not?) and Apple says ‘screw you’. But this is where Epic obviously also has the upper hand. Apple can't win this PR battle, nor afford to. Epic will be back.
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
@adamkovac In your analogy, Apple is a scorned girlfriend. While Apple's actions seem eerily consistent with this analogy, is it really an appropriate playbook for a company with market power in a billion user ecosystem? Should they not adhere to higher principles?
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
@gruber This is a far more nuanced and longer topic than Twitter is built for but I think there's a very real Kremlinology read of all this. And I think Sweeney is more savvy than you're giving credit for — but more importantly than *Apple* is giving credit for.
@fightfortheftr @fightfortheftr on x
Apple's monopoly has gone too far, censoring even the biggest players in its app store. Small creators don't even have a chance to stand up for their rights when it comes to iOS—it's beyond time to break the #AppleMonopoly for the good of everyone and allow sideloading. https://t…
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
@mkrenicki ... You have a potentially important point. Apple's decision could be read as witholding Fortnite access to iOS in order to pressure Epic not to appeal. But we're appealing and will fight on regardless.
@mikebeas Mike Beasley on x
Great. Make it ten years. I hope you lose and the App Store stays free of crappy untrustworthy third-party payment systems. https://twitter.com/...
@fosspatents Florian Mueller on x
Apple appears more interested in deterring other devrlopers from a similar course of action and/or in forcing Epic to withdraw its appeal than in what the appeals court may think of Apple's behavior. https://twitter.com/...
@adamkovac Adam Kovacevich on x
@TimSweeneyEpic GF: If you ever cheat on me, I'll dump you BF: (Cheats on GF to see what happens) GF: (Dumps boyfriend) BF: (Sues GF, says she wasn't legally allowed to dump him) Federal Judge: BF broke GF's rule. She can dump him. [...] BF: Okay can we get back together?
@chrisbrogan Chris Brogan on x
Imagine a big marketplace trying to control the fate of an ultra popular revenue source - Apple Bans Fortnite Until Appeals Are Exhausted in Legal Fight https://rss.slashdot.org/... #tech #feedly
@matthewstoller Matt Stoller on x
Any gamers out there who can help me understand the impact of Fortnite not being on iPhones or iPads? This is retaliation by Apple saying it will destroy anyone who challenges its dominance. https://twitter.com/...
@adamkovac Adam Kovacevich on x
@TimSweeneyEpic I mean “you agreed” in the sense of “the court made you agree”...
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
I continue to believe that (despite what they're saying) Epic got what they wanted from the case (what they reasonably could hope to get — on the PR front; steering was icing on the cake). And Apple also thinks (despite what they're saying) that Epic got what they wanted. https:/…
@dylanmcd8 @dylanmcd8 on x
You violated a contract that specifically states if you violate it you will be banned https://twitter.com/...
@matthewstoller Matt Stoller on x
Apple just took a serious bite out of Epic Games's business. But no don't worry it's not a monopoly with coercive power over a market. https://twitter.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Epic Games tried to bring Fortnite back to iOS and the Mac, but Apple is blacklisting Epic from the Apple ecosystem. Yikes. https://twitter.com/...
@jake_k Jake Kastrenakes on x
apple repeatedly said it would welcome fortnite back to the app store... but it looks like that came with a years-long caveat they failed to mention https://www.theverge.com/...
@destinlegarie Destin on x
This is some shady stuff right here. https://twitter.com/...
@paultassi Paul Tassi on x
Epic tried to bring Fortnite back to iOS and Mac using the new ruling that games can have alt-payment buttons Apple is just straight up blacklisting them indefinitely now https://twitter.com/...
@jasonschreier Jason Schreier on x
Once again, the recent Epic vs. Apple ruling was a big loss for Epic, and here are the consequences: https://twitter.com/...
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
@TimSweeneyEpic ...hard to counter that without pulling support for Unreal Engine across Apple's products 😅 They have AR plans to protect

Chronicles