Epic Games, producers of popular game Fornite, yesterday took on Apple and Google in what might spark an app store revolution.
Something very interesting happened yesterday. News broke out that Apple has removed Fortnite from the iOS App Store. Referencing that the game company had violated its App Store guidelines. It wasn’t long before Google did the same. Since then Epic has filed a lawsuit against Apple. In what it says is to “end Apple’s anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces“.
So this is what started it all. Epic Games introduced its own payment system, Epic direct payment, on iOS and Google. Knowing very well that this move will violate both the Goole Play and Apple App store rules. This, however, will offer users a 20% discount on the usual in-app purchases in the Apple and Google Play stores. That is where the store violation comes into play. Apple says they are using their own in-app payment option. Whereas when it comes to Google that isn’t an issue till the app in question is a game.
The game company sort of had it all figured out, knowing Apple and Google will come after them and they were ready for them. That’s because they released a 65-page lawsuit just moments after Apple removed
They also released a video mimicking Apple’s 1984 Macintosh commercial that introduced the Mac PC. Check it out below.
The Epic Games War
Epic Games is staging a fight that is bigger than them and concerns the wider 3rd party developer community in relation to the App Store. Most of these developers have complained to Apple but the giant seems to have its way. In recent times, Microsoft has been unable to bring its xCloud gaming service to Xbox users on iOS becuase of such issues. Epic calls it a monopoly in its lawsuit.
The question is will Epic succeed where others have failed? Will it encounter the same hurdles others faced and decide they have no choice but to play to Apple and Google’s tunes? When Epic wins this will it apply to the wider 3rd party community or will it be a special treatment as Apple notes.
We will find out soon enough i guess. What do you think?
More to come …
Update :
iDevice Care reports that Apple says it will not be making an exception for Epic. In Apple’s remarks, Epic created a problem for itself. Noting this “problem can be easily fixed if they send an update of their app that restores it to comply with the guidelines again.”
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That’s the reason why i could access the game. thanks i was able understand some concept why most games didn’t play on my device.