Epic Games Fortnite Game Wrath Removed Apple

Fortnite game illustration (doc. Epic Games)

JAKARTA - The online game Fortnite has suddenly disappeared from Apple's App Store app store. As a result, Epic Games as the developer of this game filed a lawsuit against Apple.

Apple has confirmed that it is removing the Fortnite game under Epic Games for taking the unfortunate step of breaking the rules on the App Store. Where Epic Games promises a payment discount of 20 percent for gamers.

"Epic activates features in their applications that are not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they do so with the intention of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to any developer selling digital goods or services," Apple said in its official statement as quoted by BBC International , Friday 14 August.

This was done by Epic Games to avoid the 30 percent commission taken from every sales transaction at Apple. For example, 1,000 V-bucks (the value of money in a Fortnite game) costs $ 9.99 when purchased through Apple payments. However, if you buy directly from Epic Games, V-bucks only pay 7.99 US dollars.

Epic Games did not remain silent, as soon as the game it made was banned by Apple. This game developer immediately filed a lawsuit against the technology company.

In a lawsuit filed in California Court, USA, Epic Games accused Apple and Google of monopolizing and asking for commissions from payment processing in mobile applications.

Through the Fortnite Twitter account, Epic Games released a short video teasing Apple by making a Macintosh ad from 1984. The tweet also uses the hashtag #FreeFortnite at the end of the video.

Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly. In retaliation, Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices. Visit https://t.co/K3S07w5uEk and join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming "1984" https://t.co/tpsiCW4gqK

- Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2020

Not only Apple, Google also stated that Epic Games had violated the rules of the payment system which led to the removal of Fortnite from the Play Store. It's just that Android users can still play this game via Epic Games' launcher.