Fortnite Apple Ban Sparks Court Action From Epic Games

Fortnite: Apple ban sparks court action from Epic Games

13 August 2020

Apple has taken down Fortnite from its App Store, preventing users from installing one of the most played games in the world on iPhones.

It was after Fortnite's latest update that allowed players to purchase in-game currency at lower rates when they bought directly from Epic Games, bypassing Apple.

Epic appeared to know the ban would come when it announced that it that it had filed a legal complaint minutes after the removal.

Apple takes a standard 30 percent cut of its sales made through its mandatory payment system.

Google removed the application from their Google Play Store several hours later, however it's still available on Android phones via other ways, like Epic Games' launcher.

On iOS on iOS, the App Store is the only method to legally load apps. But Apple declared that Epic had taken the "unfortunate step of violating the App Store's guidelines".

The guidelines prohibit any payment system apart from Apple's own, and has been the focus of several prominent disputes between developers and Apple.

Epic stated that iPhone players with the app installed should be able to continue playing until the next update comes out. The game will be unable to offer certain features following that.

Users with an Apple Mac computer will not be affected since this version doesn't use the iOS App Store.

In addition, to tweeting the legal complaint that it filed in a California court, Epic also announced the imminent in-game screening of a short film titled Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite - an adaptation of George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The novel is about a dystopian world that is ruled by its citizens and is tolerant of dissent - and was itself referenced by Apple in a famous television advertisement in 1984, when the young company claimed to be competing with the then dominant IBM."

According to court documents, Apple has a monopoly in deciding what apps can be downloaded on iPhones and also requesting its own payment system. This is a 30 percent cut.

Piers Harding-Rolls director of games research at Ampere Analysis, said Epic's update breaking the rules "was made to make Apple remove the app".

"Removing Fortnite from the App Store helps to deliver an outpouring of support for Epic, something it is trying to do."

He also stated that iPhones aren't the most popular Fortnite game's platform, but Epic will still notice the ban. However, Epic stated that the iOS version "generates tens to millions of dollars in revenue each month on Apple platforms".

Clash of titans

Developers really do not like this charge. For many the 30% cut of profits is akin to shakedowns.

Last month, an app developer likened Apple to the mafia. The criticism is basically an anti-competition one.

Apple and Google operate the operating systems on pretty much all of the phones around the world. This means that they are able to decide who can run apps in their stores and which cannot.

They also get to decide on the fees. Some developers call this duopoly.

Epic Games however, has an unwelcome foe: Apple.

Fortnite is extremely profitable, Epic Games has the money to spend Apple on. The way it's been carried out, passing on the savings onto the consumer, is clearly a tactic. Epic Games wants to bring this fight to the open.

And with the EU and US Congress scrutinizing Apple's business practices This is attention that the company could do without.

Epic said in a court filing that it was not seeking financial compensation.

"Epic is seeking injunctive relief in order to allow fair competition in these two important markets that directly impact hundreds of millions of users and tens of thousand, if not more of app developers from third parties," it said.

These documents also hint at a larger ambition.

"But in the event of Apple's illegal restrictions, Epic would provide a competing app store on iOS devices," it says.

Epic Games launched its Epic Games Store to change the PC gaming industry. It's aim is to lure players away from Steam by offering games for free that are well-known and highly evaluated.

Piers Harding-Rolls said the row is reminiscent of the Epic store's challenge. Titan Launcher For Mc Epic charges game developers 12% for PC games, compared to Steam's 30 percent.

"Apple and Google have been the long-term targets of Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's ire because he believes that the 30 percent revenue share they pay for game sales and in-game monetisation is too high," he said.

"However, taking on Apple is a different challenge than in the PC market because it's difficult to create a third-party storefront on iOS, or monetise apps outside of the App Store."

Google's Android system makes use of Google's payment system to buy apps. Google takes a cut, but Android allows developers and users to point to other payment options.

Apple made it clear in a statement that the rules were applied equally to all developers, and that Epic had modified their game "with the explicit intent of violating the App store guidelines".

It said that Epic has been using the App Store for over a decade and has benefited from the App Marketplace.

"The fact that their business interests lead them to push for a specific arrangement does not mean that these guidelines create an equal playing field for all developers and will make the store safer for all users."

It also stated that Epic would be working with them to bring Fortnite back.

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