The Epic Games VS Apple Inc lawsuit saga has seen new developments today. As Apple began retaliating against Epic’s app store policy breach, Epic requested the US legislature for legal immunity for the duration of the lawsuit. Further, Epic has requested that their publisher account is brought back to the app store, allowing players to download their apps.
The court has temporarily prevented Apple from blocking Epic’s publisher account as the lawsuit is still in its early stages. The order aims to prevent issues for developers using the Unreal Engine and saving Epic from excessive losses for the duration of this lawsuit.
Apple maintains its stance as being legally right for its retaliation surrounding the breach of contract. However, the tech giant has faced massive public backlash after Epic’s campaign for more freedom for developers on Apple devices.
What is Epic Games’ lawsuit?
The saga began when Epic Games allowed Fortnite players on iOS devices to make in-app purchases through its official website. It was because Apple imposes a hefty 30% fee on all in-app purchases. Usually, the developers charge this extra fee from the customers. However, Epic attempted to give players a choice by incorporating this new optional payment method.
With this move, Epic allowed players to make in-app purchases at a 20% discount while keeping the extra 10% for itself. But this was a clear violation of Apple’s app store policy. The contract that every publisher has to sign when selling their app on iOS specifies that no payment method should bypass the app store for in-app purchases.
Hence, Apple removed Fortnite from the app store, citing a breach of contract that guarded the tech giant’s interests. Epic saw this move as “anti-competitive” and “monopolistic” before opening a lawsuit against Apple in the court of law. Further, Epic has retaliated against Apple in the court of public opinion with its Apple parody-ad and #FreeFortnite campaign.
What’s next in the Epic VS Apple Saga?
Most of the general society sees Epic’s move as a way to fight back against excessive app store taxes. Some see it as a way to earn more through in-app purchases. However, when studied carefully, the lawsuit might indicate Epic’s desire to launch a mobile app store as a competitor for Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
This was initially reported by YouTube channel Game Theory, who went through the 60+ page long lawsuit that Epic filed against Apple. Here is the entire video which explores the lawsuit and Epic’s marketing strategy.
Apple already faces lawsuits surrounding anti-competitive practices in the USA, Europe, Japan, Russia and South Korea. Further, Epic has garnered massive support across various industries for its lawsuit. In conclusion, Apple seems doomed regarding its App Store policies. But there is no way we will see this saga end without some more twists.
