After Epic Games provided gamers with a discounted way to purchase digital items directly via the company, Apple took the Fortnite app off of its App Store Thursday (Aug. 13) and noted that the game contravened its rules.
The game maker filed suit soon after, claiming that the tech company was conducting itself in a monopolistic manner, CNBC reported. Google also removed the app from its store after the legal action was filed.
Epic Games said in the legal filing, “Apple’s removal of Fortnite is yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100 percent monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market.”
In a post on its website regarding “The Fortnite Mega Drop,” the game’s team wrote, “Today, we’re also introducing a new way to pay on iOS and Android: Epic direct payment. When you choose to use Epic direct payments, you save up to 20 percent as Epic passes along payment processing savings to you.”
A representative of Apple said in a response to CNBC, “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.”
The news comes after an Apple-supported study determined that commission rates on the company’s App Store are similar to those of other major sites. That research looked into the fees of large app stores like the Amazon Appstore, Samsung’s Galaxy Store and the Google Play Store as well as platforms such as the Microsoft Store.
The researchers noted in their report, “All these app stores charge the same standard commission rate as Apple (30 percent).”
Apple has a 30 percent commission rate for the first year of subscriptions, and then its fee falls to 15 percent.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
Learn More