Epic Games Just Crushed Apple: Is The Whole App Store Empire Crumbling?

In what can only be described as a seismic event for the global tech and gaming industries, Apple has been dealt a devastating legal blow by none other than Epic Games. After nearly five years of courtroom warfare over app store monopolies, payment systems, and developer freedoms, the tables have finally turned. Apple, one of the biggest tech giants on the planet, has lost big time, and the shockwaves will be felt far beyond just gaming.

The case wasn't just about Fortnite. It wasn't just about Epic Games or its eccentric CEO Tim Sweeney. This was a legal brawl over the future of mobile platforms, app store fairness, and whether Apple and Google have unchecked power over how software is distributed on billions of devices. After years of appeals, evidence, and courtroom drama, a U.S. federal judge has made a crystal-clear ruling: Apple not only overstepped but did so while lying under oath and attempting to mislead the court.

Let that sink in — the judge accused Apple of outright deception. Words like "contempt of court" and "criminal referral" are now being associated with the company that has long positioned itself as a champion of privacy, security, and consumer rights. Not anymore.

To understand the magnitude of this ruling, we need to go back to the beginning. In 2020, Epic launched Project Liberty, a direct challenge to Apple and Google's control over app distribution. By sneaking an alternate payment system into Fortnite, Epic provoked Apple into removing the game from the App Store. It was bait — and Apple took it. What followed was a flurry of lawsuits that Epic had clearly prepared in advance.

From Google's point of view, the case showed upsetting behavior inside the company. There was evidence that some companies, such as Activision, were paid not to compete in Google's environment. Important files were lost. The developers were pushed around. In what turned out to be a clear loss, Google lost on all points. The case brought to light clear anticompetitive activity, and Google will probably be stuck with the effects for years to come.

But Apple's fight in court was more complicated. Epic mostly lost the first trial because they couldn't show that Apple's actions violated trade rules. They did win one important battle, though: Apple's anti-steering policy was found to be illegal. This meant that developers couldn't even tell users about cheaper payment options outside the App Store. Apple made a case that slowed down the process for three more years.

Now, that same judge is back with a rage. He or she has issued a new order and scolded Apple for failing to follow it several times. Apple attempted to replace one practice that hurt competition with another by making rules about off-app payments that were hard to understand and costly. Even worse, they tried to hide everything while telling the court lies about what happened. The judge wouldn't have any of it.

Here are the most important things to remember about this huge decision:

When people buy things outside of Apple apps, they can't be charged by Apple anymore. Yes, the well-known 30% "Apple tax" is actually being taken away.

Apple can't place limits on how apps direct users to external payment systems. There will be no more sneaky user interface tricks or false alerts meant to keep people inside Apple's walled playground.

Now, developers can clearly tell users about better deals that aren't in the App Store. Apple had been fighting for years to take away this right that seemed so easy.

Apple's use of deceptive language is now against the law. No more "scare screens" telling people that going on an outside payment link could put them in danger.

This decision doesn't just give coders more freedom. It significantly changes the way people use mobile systems. Spotify has already made the switch. It's now easier to buy books on Kindle. To cover Apple's fees, Patreon membership prices are no longer higher than they should be. Developers now have power, and users can make real choices.

That's not the end of the story, though. This is a big change: Epic Games has lowered its fee to 0% for the first million dollars that creators earn through its shop. It's not just for Fortnite either—Epic's internal system is quickly becoming the standard way to pay for things outside of games on all platforms. This means that smaller developers don't have to use Apple or Google's payment methods at all to give people safe and smooth experiences.

Don't forget about the EU, either. With its rules on digital markets, Europe is years ahead of the U.S. In March 2024, the Digital Markets Act said that both Apple and Google had broken it. Apple has already been fined 500 million euros. There will probably be more. The EU is moving quickly to stop monopolistic behavior and enact consumer-first policies, while U.S. lawmakers have been slow to regulate technology in the past.

With this decision, Tim Sweeney has cemented his place in history. People used to criticize the wealthy rebel for trying to take on Apple's empire, but now he's enjoying what might be one of the biggest court wins in tech history. Do not mistakenly think that Sweeney did this for free. Epic will soon become the standard server for in-app payments across all mobile apps, which is expected to bring in billions of dollars for the company. Still, developers get more freedom, players get better prices, and Epic gets a bigger share of the market.

Also, it's important to note what this decision doesn't do. Things like Steam are not in danger. Valve doesn't have a monopoly like Apple does. PC gamers have a choice between the Epic Games Launcher, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and other services. Steam may be the most popular, but it doesn't stop other companies from creating games or making some games exclusive, as Apple does with iOS. That's what makes them different. There is more to antitrust law than just who is on top. It's about choice and access.

Apple has already started to follow the rules, but they don't want to. But they should follow the rules in a way that is as passive-aggressive and limited as the law allows. Every worker, customer, and government official will need to be extra careful. Even though Epic won this battle, the war over digital media is still going on.

The fight between Epic and Apple has altered the rules of the mobile economy in numerous ways, from billionaire showdowns to significant benefits for consumers. As of now, officials are finally being tough, and developers are no longer afraid to speak out. This could mean the end of platform monopolies.

This isn't just tech news for millions of fans and creators around the world. It's a big change.