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RevenueCat Raises $50 Million Series C to Expand Subscription Platform Amid AI and Gaming Boom

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RevenueCat, a subscription management platform serving mobile and app-based businesses, has raised $50 million in Series C funding, the company announced Thursday. The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, with continued backing from Index Ventures, Y Combinator, Volo Ventures, and others.

The San Francisco-based startup enables app developers to manage pricing, subscriptions, and virtual goods across platforms like iOS, Android, and web — a function that’s becoming increasingly vital amid a surge in AI-driven apps and mobile gaming.

Key Highlights

  • Major Clients: Includes OpenAI, which worked with RevenueCat to deploy ChatGPT on mobile after its 2022 launch.

  • AI App Growth: 20% of RevenueCat’s top 20 apps are AI-based, CEO Jacob Eiting told Reuters, as generative AI apps tend to charge premium fees and convert users more effectively.

  • Expansion Plans: The company plans to use the new capital to:

    • Grow its workforce

    • Pursue strategic acquisitions

    • Advance into mobile gaming with features like virtual currency tools

“We eventually hope to be as important in the game market as we are in the app market,” Eiting said.

Strategic Context

RevenueCat is riding a wave of increased app creation thanks to tools like no-code platforms and AI-based development kits, which have fueled demand for streamlined monetization infrastructure. Its technology abstracts complex payment logic and backend infrastructure, allowing developers to focus on product development.

The platform is also expanding capabilities tailored to game developers, a sector known for in-app purchase complexity and a high-spending user base. The company’s new virtual currency feature aims to help developers better manage in-game economies and monetization models.

With this new funding, RevenueCat is positioning itself as the go-to backend for subscription infrastructure, not just for mobile apps, but increasingly for AI and gaming ecosystems — two of the fastest-growing digital markets.

Fortnite Returns to Apple App Store in U.S. After Nearly Five-Year Ban

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Epic Games’ Fortnite has officially returned to the Apple App Store in the United States, ending a nearly five-year absence triggered by a high-profile legal battle between the video game developer and the iPhone maker. The reinstatement marks a significant legal and strategic victory for Epic Games.

The return follows a federal court ruling on April 30 that found Apple in violation of a prior court order requiring it to enable more open competition in its App Store, particularly in how apps are downloaded and how in-app purchases are processed. The ruling also stated Apple failed to comply with an earlier injunction and would be referred to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation.

Apple has not publicly commented on the decision or Fortnite’s reappearance. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney simply posted: “We back fam” on X (formerly Twitter), signaling the game’s return.

Background: The Legal Dispute

The dispute began in 2020, when Epic attempted to bypass Apple’s up to 30% commission fee by implementing its own payment system within Fortnite. Apple responded by removing Fortnite from its App Store, prompting Epic to file an antitrust lawsuit.

While the case didn’t yield a full victory for Epic initially, recent court decisions have increasingly favored greater developer rights and payment flexibility, with potential implications far beyond gaming.

Implications for the App Ecosystem

At the time of its removal, Fortnite had over 116 million users on Apple devices alone. Its return, though symbolically important, may not fully recapture its previous popularity.

“This was a hard-fought win that carried a very steep price and may be too late to boost Fortnite, now past its prime,” said Gil Luria, analyst at D.A. Davidson.

However, the broader impact could be more significant. Michael Ashley Schulman, CIO at Running Point Capital Advisors, said the ruling opens the door for subscription-based platforms like Spotify and Netflix to improve their margins and for smaller developers to bypass Apple’s transaction fees altogether. This could lead to a reshaping of iOS economics over the next 12–18 months.

Current Availability

Fortnite is already available on Android devices and iPhones in the European Union, where digital market regulations have forced more openness. In addition to Apple’s App Store, Fortnite is also accessible via the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU.

The game’s return to U.S. iPhones signifies not just a platform comeback, but also a critical turning point in the ongoing debate over digital platform control, developer rights, and app store economics.