Just hours after Epic Games announced a new direct-payment option for “Fortnite” to bypass the Apple App Store’s 30% commission on in-app purchases, the title has been removed from the App Store.
In a statement, Apple says: “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.”
Apple adds Epic had: “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.”
The Verge indicates Epic has since announced that it has filed its own lawsuit against tech giant Apple, reportedly accusing it of anticompetitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces: “Epic brings this suit to end Apple’s unfair and anti-competitive actions that Apple undertakes to unlawfully maintain its monopoly in two distinct, multibillion dollar markets: (i) the iOS App Distribution Market, and (ii) the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market.”
Apple has not responded as yet to the news of Epic’s lawsuit, but their earlier statement indicated they intend to “work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return ‘Fortnite’ to the App Store.”
Update: “Fortnite” has been kicked off the Google Play store as well.
Source: Market Watch
