Two of the world’s most-known entertainment companies are going after each other’s throats. Epic Games and Apple entered into a standoff earlier today after an update went live in Fortnite. Basically, this update allows players who play Fortnite on an Apple device to avoid a larger charge for V-Bucks. Through any purchase from an app on the iOS Store, Apple makes a whopping 30%. However, with this new update, Epic found a way around that, enabling players to pay 20% less through a “direct payment” option.
According to Apple, this violated the App Store’s guidelines and the company removed Fortnite from the store. However, in a predictable turn of events, Epic Games has made it public that it will be suing Apple for this action.
Epic Games and Apple enter into a showdown
After the news of Epic Games’ new direct payment option went live, Apple released a PR statement to The Verge. This explains that the company is removing Fortnite from the App Store and gives the reasoning behind that action. Here’s a snippet from that statement.
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. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store. Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services.
According to Apple, Epic Games didn’t clear this new payment option with the company. Obviously, Apple expects to make its 30% on in-game purchases and now that Epic has the direct payment option, large amounts of money will be lost.
However, it seems as though Fortnite and Epic Games won’t go down without a fight. Soon after The Verge’s article went live, the official Fortnite Twitter account had this to say:
Epic Games has filed legal papers in response to Apple, read more here: https://t.co/c4sgvxQUvb
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2020
What does this mean for Apple users?
At the current moment, Fortnite officially cannot be downloaded on the App Store. Though, if you have the game on your device right now, you can continue to keep using it and even make purchases. It’s unclear how updates for the game will work going forward, however.
This is a developing story so stay tuned to Daily Esports for more updates.
