Fortnite could be off Apple devices for a lot longer than a fortnight

fortnite apple

IN TROUBLE: Makers of Fortnite facing one-year ban from Apple. CREDIT: Facebook

According to Epic Games, Fortnite could face a lengthy ban from the tech giants in what could be a costly outcome for the games developers.

A COURT battle continues between Epic Games and Apple which could see the immensely popular game, Fortnite, have its ban from all Apple devices extended.
Fornite is currently banned from the iOS App Store with Apple apparently blocking Epics access to the app store after the developers integrated an “unauthorised payment system” which breached Apple’s terms and conditions.
Last month, Microsoft joined Epic Games in their court battle with Apple, apparently supporting the Fortnite developer’s right to carry on developing software for Mac and iOS while the case continues.
However, in August an email from Apple revealed to Epic that they had terminated its App Store access.
Apple warned the developer’s that “we will deny your reapplication to the Apple Developer Program for at least a year considering the nature of your acts”.
Epic claim that if the ban continues, 116 million registered users on Apple devices will suffer.
If they are locked out of the iOS system then users will not be able to receive game updates or be able to reinstall the game is deleted.
Apple fought back describing Epic’s conduct “brazen, and unlawful”, and arguing that the entire lawsuit “is nothing more than a basic disagreement over money.”
In what could prove the final blow, one which Epic may not be able to respawn from, Apple argued, “Although Epic portrays itself as a modern corporate Robin Hood, in reality it is a multibillion-dollar enterprise that simply wants to pay nothing for the tremendous value it derives from the App Store.”
“This court should hold Epic to its contractual promises, award Apple compensatory and punitive damages, and enjoin Epic from engaging in further unfair business practices,” a response from Apple concluded.
As mentioned, Epic aren’t the “modern corporate Robin Hood” they might considered themselves to be.
This isn’t the first time they have gone head-to-head with corporate giants.
In 2018, the company won a suit against Sony who had banned Fortnite from enabling “cross-play” between PlayStation and Xbox users.
Later that year, Epic launched its own PC game store, a move that was designed to bring down Steam, the largest distributer of computer games.
Tech giants, Google, haven’t been spared either after receiving the same treatment as Apple following Fortnite being banned from the Android store.
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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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