As we’ve been covering, Epic Games is suing Apple and Google for “unfair and anti-competitive actions” as to their payment markets, over which Apple and Google banned Fortnite when Epic tried to implement its own payment system. Epic sought injunctive relief from the courts, not monetary damages, in an apparent attempt to force movement on a monopoly issue already under the gaze of lawmakers in DC.
Yesterday, Apple decided to swing back, informing Epic that it will be retaliating by essentially deleting Epic’s developer accounts and “cut[ting] Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools.” The problem here isn’t so much for Epic, note, but rather for all of the games that use Epic’s Unreal Engine tools, concern for which has prompted Epic to file another motion in the suit, this one to stop this kind of one-upmanship from Apple that could harm Unreal Engine and not just Fortnite.
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020
Apple’s PR folks are finally awakening from their slumber too. “We very much want to keep the company as part of the Apple Developer Program and their apps on the Store,” Apple told Venture Beat last night. “The problem Epic has created for itself is one that can easily be remedied if they submit an update of their app that reverts it to comply with the guidelines they agreed to and which apply to all developers. We won’t make an exception for Epic because we don’t think it’s right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers.”
