It seems like the epic battle between Fortnite’s creator, Epic Games, and tech giant Apple Inc. isn’t destined to end anytime soon. After a three-year feud, Epic Games claims that Apple has failed to fully comply with a court order to open up its App Store for outside payment options.
Apple’s App Store Changes: Not Enough?
Following the US Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene in the dispute on January 16, Apple pledged to allow all third-party apps sold in the US to include a link to an external developer website for processing in-app purchases. Although Apple has made good on that promise, it’s still demanding a commission of up to 27% from developers for purchases made outside the App Store.
However, Epic Games isn’t satisfied with Apple’s actions. In a recent legal filing, Epic disputes Apple’s compliance with the ordered changes and promises to elaborate on this “non-compliance” in a future document.
A Battle Sparked by Fortnite
The conflict between the two companies was ignited back in 2020 when Apple removed the popular Fortnite game from its App Store. The reason? Epic Games had devised a way to evade Apple’s 30% fee on in-app purchases. Since then, the battle has escalated, leading to a court case and numerous changes in the way Apple operates its App Store.
Apple’s business model was scrutinized in a 2023 appeals court ruling, which concluded that while it didn’t violate federal antitrust laws, it did breach California’s Unfair Competition Law. The court found that Apple was limiting the ability of developers to communicate about alternate payment systems that might be more affordable.
What’s Next in the Apple-Epic Feud?
As the dispute continues, Apple is seeking a court order for Epic to reimburse it for a hefty $73 million in legal expenses, claiming that Epic breached their developer agreement. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney expressed his frustration with Apple’s “bad-faith ‘compliance’” in a post on the social network X.
Apple’s relationship with app developers has been a hot topic in recent years, sparking debates about fair business practices and the power of tech giants. This legal battle between Apple and Epic Games is one example of the tensions between these tech behemoths and smaller developers. While Apple has made some changes in response to these concerns, it’s clear that some developers, like Epic Games, believe there’s still a long way to go.
For more context on this ongoing dispute, check out this comprehensive TechCrunch article that delves into the history and implications of the Apple-Epic feud.
