When it comes to the App Store, Apple is through playing nice.
The tech giant confirmed Thursday that it had booted Epic Games' wildly popular Fortnite app from the App Store. At issue, at least according to Apple, is Epic Games' decision to add non-approved features to the app.
Fortnite, for the unaware, is a multiplayer battle royale-style game. On Thursday, Epic Games launched a new way to purchase its in-game currency, V-bucks, at a discount. In order to get the discount on iOS, you have to buy directly from Epic Games. This bypasses Apple — depriving it of its cut of the transaction.
Apple typically takes a 30-percent cut of in-app payments.
"Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users," an Apple spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store."
Importantly, Fortnite is a multiplatform game, so this move by Apple will not destroy it.
We reached out to Epic Games for comment, and the company was all too happy to respond.
"Apple has blocked access to Fortnite on iOS devices," a company spokesperson confirmed. "Epic has taken legal action to end Apple's anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces."
The statement linked to a legal complaint which Epic Games clearly had ready to go.
"Apple's removal of Fortnite is yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100% monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market," reads the complaint in part.
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Apple, unsurprisingly, sees things differently. The company insists that all apps, even Fortnite, need to play by the same rules.
Epic Games, meanwhile, posted a FAQ to its website about the debacle where it accuses Apple of "intentionally [sabotaging] consumer iOS devices[.]"
The legal game has begun, and, like Fortnite, there's only going to be one winner.
Topics Fortnite
