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Epic Games won a significant round in its fight with Apple: on December 11, 2025, the Ninth Circuit upheld Apple’s civil contempt finding and left most of the court order in place. But it did not settle every question. The appellate court sent the fee Apple may charge for purchases made after users follow external payment links back for further proceedings, and the Supreme Court has agreed to review a limited question in Apple’s appeal. As of the Supreme Court docket’s September 21, 2026 entries, that review remained pending.
What Epic won in the Ninth Circuit
Epic sued Apple in 2020 over App Store rules for iOS app distribution and transactions. The current dispute arose after Apple allowed developers to link to outside payment options under restrictions that Epic challenged. In 2025, the district court found Apple in civil contempt. The Ninth Circuit affirmed that finding, concluding the district court had not abused its discretion and that contempt was established by clear and convincing evidence. Reuters reported on the contempt ruling; the Ninth Circuit opinion explains the appellate decision.
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The win was substantial but not unlimited: the panel modified parts of the district court’s April 30 order, while declining to vacate the underlying injunction. Its conclusion stated, “The Injunction and April 30 Order should otherwise remain in full effect.” The Ninth Circuit opinion is the source for the ruling and that language.
What Apple can and cannot do with external-payment links
The appellate court allowed Apple to impose certain controls on how developers present links to outside payment options. Apple may limit buttons and links to terms no more favorable than its own in prominence, and may apply generally applicable content standards. Those allowances concern the presentation and content of links; they do not decide the separate question of what fee Apple may charge when a user follows one.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Why the fee question is still open
The Ninth Circuit sent the prohibition on Apple’s commission back for further work. It said any fee must be limited to costs genuinely and reasonably necessary to coordinate external links. Apple may not charge developers for security and privacy features that it offers as part of its own in-app purchase system. And no fee for linked purchases can be charged until the district court approves an appropriate amount. The appellate opinion sets out this guidance.
The policy percentages reported during the dispute describe Apple’s earlier terms, not a fee newly approved by the Ninth Circuit: Reuters reported a 27% commission on certain outside-payment purchases made within seven days after a link click, compared with 30% for purchases made within the App Store. Those figures are historical policy context, not a determination of the lawful fee going forward. Reuters’ account of the dispute gives those figures.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What the Supreme Court has—and has not—decided
The Supreme Court granted Apple’s petition for review on June 30, 2026, but only on Question 1 presented in Apple’s petition. It denied Apple’s August 13 request to pause the order after briefly entering an administrative stay through that date. Apple filed its merits brief on September 14, 2026; the docket lists Epic’s response brief as due November 13, 2026. The docket entries through September 21, 2026 show no final merits decision or argument date. The Supreme Court docket for No. 25-1311 records the case status and dates.
Earlier, on May 6, 2026, the Court also denied Apple’s request to temporarily block the contempt-related order. That procedural denial allowed proceedings to continue while Apple pursued its appeal; it was not a decision on whether Apple ultimately prevails. Reuters’ report on the May denial described its immediate effect.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What happens next
Two tracks remain relevant. The district court must address the fee question under the Ninth Circuit’s limits, while the Supreme Court considers the limited issue it accepted for review. The appellate contempt finding and the unresolved fee calculation are distinct: the first was affirmed, while the second remains subject to further proceedings. The Supreme Court’s stay denials do not replace its still-pending merits review.
Quick Recap
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- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
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- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
