As Fortnite gears up for an App Store relaunch, Epic is cranking up its Rewards program to encourage people to use its payment system instead of Apple's

Fortnite - Meowscles flexing — (Image credit: Epic Games)

As Fortnite slowly grinds its way back to iOS devices in the US, Epic Games is offering players a deal: Make purchases in Fortnite—or Rocket League or Fall Guys—using Epic's payment system and you'll get back 20% of what you spend in Epic Rewards.

That's a big boost over the usual 5% offering on Epic Games Store purchases, and it's simple math, as Epic demonstrated with this handy-dandy image: When, for instance, you spend $23 on 2,800 V-Bucks, you can get $4.60 back in Epic Rewards, or you can get nothing.

Epic Store payment processing vs Fortnite in-app purchase comparison — (Image credit: Epic Games)

The 20% rewards offer applies on all platforms, and yes, it's permanent.

"Competition is a wonderful thing!" Epic boss Tim Sweeney enthused.

Here is Epic&rsquo;s new strategy for giving customers choice over how to pay for things, and passing on savings when they use our cost-effective direct payment system. Competition is a wonderful thing! — (Image credit: Tim Sweeney (Twitter))

The announcement of the new Epic Rewards offering comes basically side-by-side with Epic's announcement that it's "submitted Fortnite to Apple for review so we can launch on the App Store in the US."

We've submitted Fortnite to Apple for review so we can launch on the App Store in the US — (Image credit: Fortnite (Twitter))

So, how did we get here? Fortnite's imminent return to the App Store follows just a week after Epic's major courtroom victory over Apple in a legal battle that began all the way back in 2020. While Apple mostly came out on top in that dispute, Epic did score one big win when the courts ruled that Apple could not stop iOS app developers from directing users to their own payment processor outside of the app, rather than Apple's.

This is potentially very advantageous for developers, because using an external payment processor for purchases would enable them to escape Apple's stiff 30% fee—so it's not really shocking that Apple's compliance with that ruling wasn't exactly enthusiastic.

Epic took exception to Apple's ongoing reluctance to comply with court orders in a meaningful way, which is what eventually led to this most recent ruling, which included a statement—from the judge, mind, not from Epic—that Apple "continued its anticompetitive conduct solely to maintain its revenue stream."

With Apple suitably chastised, Epic is swinging for the fences. The day after the ruling, Epic announced plans for "webshops" on the Epic Games Store that will enable developers to offer out-of-app purchases "as a more cost-effective alternative to in-app purchases, where Apple, Google, and others charge exorbitant fees."

To encourage people to use those webshops, any purchases made through them will also earn 5% back in Epic Rewards—not as high a percentage as its offering on its own games, but again, a whole lot better than nothing.

Even if you don't care about Fortnite or mobile gaming in general, you're not being left empty-handed: Epic is also offering 20% rewards on other Epic Games Store purchases—including games from other companies, not just Epic's own stuff—until August 31, also on all platforms. So if you were planning on buying something from the Epic Games Store, or maybe just pondering the possibility, now would be a good time.

Earn 20% back with Epic Rewards — (Image credit: Epic Games)

The Epic Store purchase option for iOS devices is slated to go live alongside Fortnite's return to the App Store in the US (it returned to the App Store in Europe in 2024), which Epic obviously expects to happen very soon.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

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