Apple rattles off a number of reasons why Epic is the bad guy in this case
Apple says that thanks to its support over two short years, Fortnite became a major success with 130 million downloads in 174 countries allowing Epic to put more than half a billion dollars in the bank. And while Apple’s comments make it sound as though it believes that Epic owes it a huge debt of gratitude, back in April the game developer did write a letter thanking the tech giant for its support and promotion of Fortnite events. But that changed just months later and Apple says that Epic suddenly wanted to take advantage of the benefits of an App Store listing without paying for them. The tech manufacturer received a letter from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney that demanded that Epic receive all of the advantages of being listed in the App Store while having consumers pay Epic directly instead of through Apple. Besides paying Apple nothing for Fortnite’s App Store listing, Epic wanted Apple’s blessing to launch a competitive app store of its own.
Apple claims that Epic used the ol’ Trojan Horse ruse to sneak in a link to Epic’s direct payment system at a lower price
On August 3rd, a new version of Fortnite was launched in the App Store that Apple says included hidden software allowing users to bypass Apple and make in-app purchases through Epic instead. And to prove that it is not a monopolist, the company says that there is fierce competition for devices, platforms, and apps. Fortnite users, says Apple, can spend their V-Bucks on no less than six different mobile, PC, and game consoles.
And that is where we stand now with Apple claiming that every action it took against Epic was for legitimate business purposes. Both sides argue that the other side is trying to take advantage of its hard work without making a payment. Apple says that Epic is using the tools offered to Fortnite from its App Store listing without paying Apple its 30% cut for that privilege. Epic says that “Apple’s repeated assertions of theft boil down to the extraordinary assertion that Epic’s collection of payments by players of Epic’s game, created from the work of Epic’s artists, designers, and engineers, is taking something that belongs to Apple.”
Judge Rogers says that the case should be heard in front of a jury next summer. Order your popcorn now!
