The mega-corp slap fight continues on between Apple and Fortnite developer Epic Games. According to Epic, Apple has threatened to ꧂remove Epic's developer's tools from Mac and iOS.
Things have been escalating almost daily over the last week. The controversy began when Epic introduced in-app purchases in the mobile version of Fortnite that would allow play🍃ers to make purchases directly from the publisher, circumventing Apple and preventing them from getting a cut of the profits.
In response, Apple promptly removed Fortnite from the App store. Within minutes Epic Had a lawsuit prepared and filed against Apple. That same day, Epic tweeted a video mocking on old Apple commercial while comparing the company's behavior to George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984. The accompanying hashtag, #FreeFortnite, is being used to mobilize the Fortnite fanbase against Apple.
Since then, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has made several tweets clarifying Epic's position and framing the lawsuit as a crusade against monopolies and unfair business. "At the most basic level," writes Sweeney, "we’re fighting for the freedom of people who bought smartphones to ꦰinstall apps from sources of their choosing, the freedom for creators of apps to distribute them as they choose, and the freedom of both groups to do business directly."
Today, the Epic Games Newsroom Twitter account tweeted that not only is Fortnite removed from the app ♈store, but Apple will also be terminating all of the Epic developer accounts, stopping them from supporting development tools on MAC and iOS.
Among those 🍬developer tools is the Unreal Engine, a game engine that hundreds of 3rd party developers use. According to Epic, Apple's retaliation will impact all of the developers that use Unreal Engine. In the to stop Apple's retaliation, Epic writes "Apple’s actions will irreparably damage Epic’s reputation among Fortnite users and be catastrophic for the future of the separate Unreal Engine business."
Epic believes solidarity among developers and players is the best way to stand up toꦗ Apple and threaten their complete control of the app store and iOS platform.
TheGamer has reached out to Epic for comment.