- Epic Games has launched legal action against Apple after the iPhone maker banned Fortnite from the iOS App Store
- The ban was a response to Epic Games deliberately breaching Apple’s terms of service by introducing its own payment platform to the mobile version of Fortnite
- Usually, Apple takes a 30 per cent cut of all purchase made through iPhone apps, however, Epic Games’ payment method circumvented this process
- Hours after the iOS ban, Google removed Fortnite from the Google Play store for the same reason
- It seems the bans were expected on Epic Games’ behalf, with a #FreeFortnite campaign launched soon after the game was removed
The world’s biggest game developer has waged war against the world’s biggest tech company today: Epic Games and Apple are going head-to-head over the iOS payment system.
Epic Games is the creator of Fortnite, which, with 350 million registers users, is undoubtedly the world’s biggest videogame. The game can be played on almost any console system or device, including iPhones and iPads.
Well, until this morning, that is.
Apple has officially removed Fortnite from the iOS app store after Epic Games introduced a direct payment method that bypasses Apple’s platform.
As part of Apple’s terms of service, the tech giant takes a 30 per cent cut of all purchases made through an iPhone app.
This has been an ongoing headache for game developers publishing their apps on the iOS App Store, but there’s no other way to get an app approved by Apple.
What sorts of payments are made on Fortnite?
Fortnite itself is free-to-play — users can play the full version of the game without having to cough up a cent.
Instead, the game makes its money mostly from in-game cosmetics purchases. Users can buy skins to modify the look of their character and their weapons, as well as a “Battle Pass” which gives players access to special challenges and rewards.
None of these purchases changes the gameplay itself, but the in-game cosmetic modifications are hugely popular. Under Apple’s terms and conditions, it would cop 30 per cent of the revenue from any of these buys made via iPhone.
That was until Epic Games went directly against these terms by adding its own direct payment method to mobile versions of the game. On top of this, the company discounted purchases made through its payment method, encouraging users to veer away from Apple’s platform.
Epic Games candidly admitted the new payment method was directly due to Apple’s 30 per cent fee.
Within hours, Fortnite was removed from the iOS App Store.
A calculated move?
It seems Epic Games was anticipating the ban from Apple, however, with the company launching a #FreeFortnite campaign via an advert titled “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” — a play on George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984.
Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly. In retaliation, Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices.
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2020
Visit https://t.co/K3S07w5uEk and join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming “1984” https://t.co/tpsiCW4gqK
In the video, an apple with a bite taken out of the corner assumes the role of Big Brother — a clear reference to Apple’s logo. More importantly, Epic Games has already launched legal action against Apple over the ban.
It’s unlikely the video could have been released so quickly after the App Store ban unless it had already been animated, suggesting Epic Games’ defiance of Apple’s terms and conditions and subsequent legal battle was premeditated.
Google to join the fight
As if taking on one looming tech monolith wasn’t enough, it’s likely Google can be expecting their own legal action from Epic Games, too.
Hours after Apple removed Fortnite from the iOS store, Google followed suit and banned the app from the Google Play Store. Like Apple, Google takes a 30 per cent cut of all in-app purchases through Play Store apps. And, like with Apple, Epic Games defied these conditions and introduced its own payment platform.
However, users can still download Fortnite through the Epic Games Store, which is downloadable on Android devices, meaning the game isn’t completely gone from Google’s products. With Apple devices, the iOS store is the only way to download the game.
Players who already have Fortnite installed on their mobile or tablet device will be able to keep playing until the game’s next update, after which point they will lose out on any new features. Players who do not already have the app downloaded can no longer do so.