1 on 1: Apple versus Epic Showdown Continues
After its reputation went under fire along with Fortnite controversy, Apple finally retaliates in court.
Last week, Epic Games filed a lawsuit against the technology giant for its alleged “anticompetitive” and “monopolistic behavior” after Apple kicked out its game, Fortnite, from the App Store.
The Nasdaq-100 frontrunner said that Epic’s action of releasing a direct payment option where users may purchase in-game specs directly from Epic Games at a 30% price deduction is a direct violation of its App Store rules.
Therefore, it reiterated that the game developer should be banned from the App Store while the proceedings are going on.
Apple said that its decision to kick out Fortnite from its distribution channel came as fair treatment for all developers following the same rules of App Store. Its statement is backed by the presentation of emails from Epic’s chief executive, entailing a request for individual arrangements.
The lawsuit came with a campaign, “Free Fornite,” tailored according to George Orwell’s 1984 dystopian novel. This is the very same concept that Apple used against the then “Big Brother” of the technology industry, IBM.
Epic Games said that the lawsuit is a manifestation of its battles to adopt open platforms and policy changes. This will equally benefit all developers. It is also not asking for special treatment.
The game developer asked for a temporary restraining order that will put its game on the App Store.
To date, Fortnite has reached 250 million downloads on iOS devices alone. Its untimely departure from the store will surely dent its iOS customer base.
Similarly, Fortnite also forcibly left Google’s Play Store due to the dichotomous payment scheme.
1 on2: Microsoft is Dragged into the Battle Field
Microsoft has its reason for backing the Epic game developer. Earlier in the month, its new contribution to modern technology xCloud game streaming failed to penetrate the iOS.
It said that Apple has stricter rules for gaming providers than any other interactive entertainment providers, such as Netflix and Spotify.
Microsoft’s statement was relevant to technology news on Sunday. It said that the restriction may jeopardize the digital gaming industry in general.
The two-trillion dollar worth enterprise is not backing down from using its resources to its advantage. It threatened to cut Epic’s access to development tools used to develop software, including the Unreal Engine.
Epic Games is the developer of a gaming engine called Unreal Engine. It licenses other parties, including Microsoft, to develop three-dimensional graphics for their games in exchange for a fee.
If Unreal Engine will not be allowed any further on iOS or macOS, Microsoft and its counterparts will have to decide between abandoning Apple users or consider using other game engines when preparing to launch for new games.
In turn, this will harm not only game developers but also the gamers themselves, especially those using Apple platforms.
Consequently, cutting off access from the Unreal Engine will not only affect its gaming business but could go spread to Epic Games’ license purchasers, including an automotive design firm.
This move from apple sent the game developer to seek for concession. It asked the court for a temporary reprieve as it weighs the case to a greater extent.
