Fortnite Apple Ban: Everything You Need To Know

Fortnite Apple ban isn’t the only spat Epic Games found itself entangled in. While the fuss with Apple gets most of the attention, the game developing company also got into trouble with Google.

And the consequences? Fortnite has been kicked out of both Google Play Store and Apple App Store for trying to avoid the 30% charge. This’s a big deal, given the fact that the game has been downloaded more than 250 million times on Apple devices alone.

Why Is Fortnite Getting Banned From Apple?

Fortnite is free to play and Epic Games makes a profit through in-app purchases. To buy new skins, weapons, and outfits, users can use V-Bucks, the game’s currency. In 2018 and 2019, Epic Games made about $4.2 billion from this business model.

Despite the big bucks it made, the game developing company never approves the 30% cut that Google and Apple take. So it came up with its own payment system to circumvent both Google and Apple.

And of course, there is no way the two tech giants let Epic gets away with that. Hours after Fortnite Apple ban, Google did the same.

Can I Get Unbanned From Fortnite?

There is no easy way to do that but it doesn’t mean you can no longer play Fortnite.

Now your only choice is to get the game directly from Epic if you use Android. iOS users who have already had the game on their device can still re-download it but playing new seasons and updating are out of the question.

And Now Epic Is Suing Apple?

Epic Games sure has its own plan as right after Fortnite Apple ban, the company filed a lawsuit against the iPhone maker for anti-competitive practices. Epic said it didn’t want any special treatment or compensation from Apple, all it wanted is for Apple to stop its anti-competitive practices and promote fair competition.

The filling said Apple took 10 times more than companies like Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree, which usually charge only 3%.

Things escalated when Apple threatened to ax the Unreal Engine code, which can have a negative impact on several other apps, including PUBG.

On August 21, Apple released some emails between the company and Tim Sweeney – CEO of Epic Games to back its Fortnite Apple ban, showing that Epic is seeking special treatment.

What About Google?

The lawsuit on Fortnite Apple ban is followed by a similar one targeting Google on the same grounds as Apple’s – anti-competitive practices.

The filing said thanks to Android, Google has formed a monopoly which prevents phone makers like Sony, Samsung, and LG to launch apps in a way that can compete with Play Store.

Much like with Apple’s case, Epic said the company didn’t want any special treatment from Google, just fairness.

How Are The Lawsuits Going?

On August 24, in a hearing about the case with Apple, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers didn’t do anything about Fortnite ban, but she did issue a restraining order preventing Apple from blocking developers using Unreal Engine. The order remains effective until September 28.

What Do Other Companies Think?

Epic isn’t the first company to have a problem with Apple and Google’s 30% cut.

In 2018, Google faced a $5 billion fine for monopolistic behaviors with the company’s suite of apps come pre-installed on all Android phones.

In 2019, Spotify accused Apple of anti-competitive practices when it charged all in-app purchases 30% to promote its all music streaming app – Apple Music.

EU has been having their eye on tech giants in the last ten years but it wasn’t until recently that the US started paying attention to regulating these powerful companies.

In July, an anti-trust hearing with the participation of Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, and Sundar Pichai.

Speaking to Congress, Apple’s CEO said App Store started with 500 apps in the beginning and how it has over 1.7 million, with only 60 from Apple itself. So if Apple was a gate keeper, what it had done was to open the gate widely, not keeping apps out.

Stay tuned for more updates on Fortnite Apple ban.

>>> Epic Games Declared War Against Apple After Fortnite Was Removed From App Store