Fortnite developer and publisher, Epic Games, has filed a lawsuit against Apple following the removal of the iOS version of the battle royal title from the App Store. The two juggernauts will battle it out in court to litigate whether Apple’s App Store should be regarded as a monopoly, and classify Fortnite’s removal from it as an “anti-competitive act.” News of the lawsuit was actually shared publicly via the Fortnite Twitter page, accompanied by the legal documents.
Epic Games has also filed a similar lawsuit against Google who opted to remove Fortnite from its Google Play Store as well. Speculation surrounds whether or not these removals have anything to do with the direct payment system recently introduced into the game. In their lawsuit, Epic Games mentions what they regard as an “unreasonable restriction” on the distribution of iOS apps, saying “Through its Developer Agreement and unlawful policies, Apple expressly conditions the use of its App Store on the use of its In-App Purchase to the exclusion of alternative solutions in a per se unlawful tying arrangement.” A direct payment system would essentially bar companies like Google and Apple from collecting fees. Apple takes a 30% one time fee for in-app purchases, and Fortnite’s new payment method is a direct circumvention of that.
In an emailed statement, Apple outlines their reasoning for the removal of Fortnite from their App Store, claiming the payment changes had “express intent of violating the App Store guidelines.” Google’s statement was similar, though they also highlighted the fact that Androids can actually download apps from outside the Google Play Store, while iOS devices don’t have similar option. Epic Games had some scathing words for Google, claiming the technology giant has completely abandoned its “Don’t Be Evil” motto, coined in 1998. They also accuse the company of suppressing change, saying “Twenty-two years later, Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought, and is using its size to do evil upon competitors, innovators, customers, and users in a slew of markets it has grown to monopolize.” If Epic Games comes out on top, there will undoubtedly be lasting impact and fallout for the mobile app industry.