Epic Games has relaunched Fortnite on Apple’s App Store globally, but Australian iPhone users are still locked out as the gaming giant escalates its long-running legal war with Apple over App Store commissions.

The move comes as Epic claims US courts are closing in on forcing Apple to reveal how it calculates App Store fees, a disclosure the Fortnite maker believes could trigger regulatory action worldwide.

“Fortnite is back on the Apple App Store as we head into the final battle of Epic v Apple in court,” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said, accusing Apple of using regional fee structures and delays to maintain control over app distribution and payments.

Fortnite was removed from Apple’s App Store in 2020 after Epic introduced its own in-app payment system to bypass Apple’s commission fees, sparking a global legal and regulatory fight over the tech giant’s App Store policies.

While the game has now returned to iOS markets across the US, Europe and Asia, Epic says Australia remains excluded because Apple continues to enforce what the company describes as “unlawful” payment terms despite an Australian court ruling against aspects of Apple’s developer restrictions.

Epic said it would not relaunch Fortnite locally until Apple adopts what it considers lawful payment arrangements or the Australian courts issue a final ruling.

The dispute has become a flashpoint in the global debate over mobile platform dominance, with regulators in the EU, Japan and the UK introducing laws aimed at opening app ecosystems to alternative payment systems and third-party app stores.

Epic argues Apple has continued to sidestep those reforms through additional fees and restrictions.

The company recently expanded its own Epic Games Store onto iOS in Japan and the EU, while Fortnite also returned to Google Play earlier this year after a separate legal settlement with Google.