San Francisco, California — Epic Games is intensifying its legal battle against Apple, pushing for the reinstatement of its popular game Fortnite on the App Store. In a recent court filing, Epic requested that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers mandate Apple to accept any compliant version of Fortnite in the U.S. marketplace.
The legal feud between Epic and Apple, which has spanned several years, centers on Apple’s App Store policies, particularly the commission structure for in-app purchases. A significant development occurred last month when Judge Rogers ruled that Apple had willfully violated an injunction concerning anti-competitive pricing. This decision raised hopes for Fortnite’s return to the App Store and suggested a broader opportunity for developers to introduce alternative payment methods.
Despite this ruling, Apple announced its intention to appeal, leading to complications for Fortnite. Epic stated recently that the game is now blocked from both the U.S. App Store and the Epic Games store in Europe, claiming, “Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”
Apple refuted Epic’s claims regarding the global block, asserting that it had asked Epic’s Sweden division to resubmit an app update that did not include the U.S. storefront. This was positioned as a measure to avoid impacting Fortnite’s availability in other regions.
The rationale behind the ban in the U.S. stems from a letter from Mark A. Perry, an attorney for Apple. The letter indicated that Apple would delay action on the app submission until a ruling from the Ninth Circuit regarding a pending request for a partial stay of the new injunction.
Epic’s filing characterizes Apple’s actions as a denial of fair competition, arguing that the tech giant is essentially punishing Epic by cutting it out of a market for which it has been advocating change. The company emphasized that this sends a discouraging message to other developers contemplating challenges to Apple’s business practices.
As the legal wrangling continues, the implications could significantly affect not only Epic Games but also the broader landscape of app distribution and developer rights. With both companies holding firm, the outcome of this case may set important precedents for the gaming industry and digital commerce.
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