Thrust! Parry! Stab stab stab stab!
Apple (as well as Google) has removed Fortnite from its app store.
The move comes down to a dispute between Epic Games and Apple over the means provided to players for purchasing V-Bucks (Fortnite’s premium currency). Epic updated the game to include a means for players to buy V-Bucks at a discount if they bought directly from Epic. This, in turn, violates Apples terms of service for developers, which requires such purchases to go through the App Store (and I’d imagine Google Play has a similar rule in effect). As such, Apple delisted the game from the store.
And, almost like they planned it in advance, Epic filed a suit against Apple, contending them to be a monopoly of sorts. And, with suspect speed, just so happened to have an update handy:
Apple has blocked Fortnite from the App Store, removing everyone’s ability to install and update the game on iOS devices, while instructing Epic to “remove the ‘Epic direct payment’ feature.” Apple is keeping prices high so they can collect 30% of your payments, and is blocking Fortnite in order to prevent Epic from passing on the savings from direct payments to you! Join the fight against @AppStore on social media with #FreeFortnite
Epic has taken legal action to end Apple’s anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces. The papers are available here.
Fortnite remains available on Google Play, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, GeForce Now, and the Epic Games app on Android. Your account, progression, and purchases also remain available on these platforms.
Because Apple has BLOCKED your ability to update, when Fortnite Chapter 2 – Season 4 releases you will NOT be able to play the new Season on iOS. Make your voice heard with #FreeFortnite
…as well as a full parody of Apple’s famous 1984 commercial.
Which I personally liked a lot better when Valve did it for Half-Life 2‘s debut on Apple devices:
On the one hand, I’d consider both parties to be kind of, well, awful. With Apple, in particular, needing a good kick in the pants. I’d argue Epic’s probably not my Apple-pants-kicker of choice, though, given their exclusive strategy, the whole Rocket League thing, and the fact that their godawful resource hog of a games store/launcher still doesn’t have a goddamn shopping cart. You know, that thing you expect from everyone other than Nintendo, because… well, Nintendo.
Regardless, enjoy the ensuing knife fight, I suppose. I guess I will.
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