The legal green light for iOS game monetization: Court backs up developers, it’s your move now

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The legal green light for iOS game monetization: Court backs up developers, it’s your move now

June 12, 2025•4 min

On April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court issued a ruling in Epic Games v. Apple, requiring Apple to allow mobile developers to link out to purchases from their games and to eliminate additional fees for such transactions. While Apple expressed disappointment and stated its intent to continue appealing, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit later denied Apple’s request to pause the federal court order.

What does this mean for the industry?

Specifically, developers can:

Legally redirect users from their mobile game to a web shop
Legally link out to external payment solutions directly from inside their mobile game
Significantly reduce platform fees, allowing them to reclaim up to 25% of revenue from each transaction
Regain ownership of their audience, with full access to user data, direct control of communication channels, and the ability to build lasting player loyalty

To truly benefit from this shift, developers must implement the changes correctly.

You need to act now

User behavior doesn’t change overnight If you want players to start making purchases outside the mobile platforms, you must begin that transition now. Educate your gamers on why they benefit when they purchase from a Web Shop and via the Buy Button. The earlier you start guiding your audience down this path, the sooner it will become a natural part of their gameplay experience. How do you do this? Use native prompts inside your game, launch personalized offers, and provide bonuses and incentives for purchases made outside the app store. These actions help you build the value that encourages players to adopt this new habit. Delays come at a cost Every day without an Xsolla-powered Web Shop and Buy Button is a day that you:

Lose a share of revenue to platform fees
Miss out on valuable user data that could drive repeat purchases
Give up control over your monetization funnel
Cede ground to competitors who are already moving forward

You need a partner who’s done it before, at scale

Xsolla Web Shop is the leading web shop solution with a proven track record of success.
We’ve launched 600+ web shops globally and helped studios of all sizes take control of their revenue.
60 of the top 100 grossing mobile games are already Xsolla partners.
Xsolla-powered web shops processed $2B+ in transactions outside the app stores, enabling developers to maximize profit margins.
Xsolla Buy Button fully complies with post-Epic vs. Apple regulations and is ready to launch in under 24 hours.

You need Xsolla Web Shop and Buy Button for Mobile Games

Monetizing your mobile game goes far beyond just adding in-app purchases. With Xsolla Web Shop and Buy Button, you can unlock a robust, flexible, and compliant ecosystem that enhances the player experience and drives revenue across multiple touchpoints. Whether you're looking to streamline purchases, expand your reach, or deepen player engagement, this solution equips you with everything needed to power your game's growth. → Frictionless one-tap purchase flow
Players can purchase specific items directly from in-game offers using autofill and one-tap methods, delivering a seamless checkout experience native to the game. → Simplified tax and compliance
Xsolla is the Merchant of Record, handling global tax calculation, collection, and remittance. → Loyalty and player rewards
Boost retention and engagement with loyalty programs and personalized reward options tied to player behavior within the game experience, whether in-app or online. → LiveOps sync
Align web-based promotions with in-game events, seasonal content, and player-achieved milestones to maximize the relevancy and impact of the offers provided to players. → Parental controls and gift cards
Built-in parental controls and gift card checkouts are available worldwide. → Multi-channel commerce
Extend monetization beyond the app to the web, Discord, Telegram, and other community channels where players engage.

Get started today

Contact our experts, and we’ll craft a strategy tailored to your game, walk you through a demo, and show you exactly how to get started. You can also browse our integration resources: