Fortnite vs. Apple and Google: everything you need to know about Epic’s mobile app stores fight – The Verge

Epic will expand its mobile game store by helping cover developer iOS fees

2025-01-23T13:00:00-05:00

Epic Games has added nearly 20 third-party games onto its mobile app store worldwide on Android and in the European Union on iOS and launching its free games program on mobile beginning with Bloons TD 6 and Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee. It's also promising to pay some iOS fees for developers that are part of the program to overcome what Epic calls a major hurdle to moving outside the App Store.

"Our aim here isn't just to launch a bunch of different stores in different places, but to build a single, cross-platform store in which, within the era of multi-platform games, if you buy a game or digital items in one place, you have the ability …

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Fortnite is back on the iPhone — with a whole app store in tow

2024-08-16T07:06:43-04:00

Promotional art for Fortnite’s “Absolute Doom” season. | Image: Epic Games

Fortnite is finally back on iOS, just over four years after Apple booted it from the iOS App Store - but it's only available in the EU. The game is launching today on both a new iPhone version of the Epic Games Store and through AltStore PAL, another third-party app store. The Epic Games Store is also launching today for Android users worldwide.

The launch follows years of litigation between Epic and Apple, as well as regulatory changes ushered in by the EU's Digital Markets Act, which forced Apple to allow alternate app stores. Epic plans to eventually bring its games to Aptoide's iOS store in the EU and the ONE Store on Android and says i …

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Apple’s App Store policies now let US developers link to outside payments

2024-01-16T18:48:18-05:00

Apple has updated its App Store policies to spell out how developers can link to outside payment platforms, as reported by 9to5Mac. Developers will still owe Apple a cut if they use an outside payment platform. Apple will take a 27 percent cut (as opposed to the 30 percent in many cases) or 12 percent if a developer is part of the App Store Small Business Program, according to a support page about external purchase links.

Section 3.1.1(a) of the App Store Review Guidelines lays down more of the new rules for developers who want to link to alternative payment methods, like how they have to apply for an "entitlement" to enable them. Develope …

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Epic v. Google, explained

2023-11-05T06:00:00-05:00

On Monday, Fortnite publisher Epic Games will drag a tech giant into court, alleging that its mobile app store is an illegal monopoly. You may be feeling some déjà vu!

After all, didn't Epic already go to trial with Apple, resulting in a ruling where Apple (mostly) won? Didn't Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn't that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?

The short answer: while Epic's antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial… a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.

Hi, I'm S …

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The Epic v. Google witness list: Andy Rubin, Sundar Pichai, and more to testify

2023-10-07T18:48:27-04:00

It's been almost 10 months since a trial date was set in Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google, and with all of the other big tech cases going on right now, including Google's other antitrust proceedings, you'd be forgiven for forgetting about this one. But believe it or not, the trial will start in less than a month, on November 6th, in the United States District Court in California's Northern District.

The court released a tentative list of witnesses, mostly executives and leads from both companies, on Thursday. Epic listed 53 witnesses it either will or might call, including Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Google and Alphabet CF …

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Apple’s App Store can stay closed, but developers can link to outside payments, says appeals court

2023-04-24T14:26:51-04:00

An appeals court has upheld the status quo in Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Apple, affirming a decision that was largely a victory for Apple. In a ruling delivered on Monday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that Apple's closed App Store and security restrictions didn't violate antitrust law but that Apple couldn't maintain anti-steering rules that prevent users from learning about alternate payment options.

Apple spokesperson Marni Goldberg provided The Verge with the following statement:

Today's decision reaffirms Apple's resounding victory in this case, with nine of 10 claims having been decided in Apple's favor. For the seco …

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Epic alleges Google paid $360 million to keep Activision from launching its own app store

2022-11-18T18:41:01-05:00

We could live in a world with more app stores. | Photo by Stefan Etienne / The Verge

Activision Blizzard and Riot Games at one point told Google they might launch their own mobile app stores, according to new documents filed in Epic's antitrust lawsuit against the search giant. The details came to light as part of allegations about major deals signed with the two companies. Google allegedly agreed to pay Activision about $360 million over three years and Riot about $30 million for a one-year deal.

In one document, Google exec Karen Aviram Beatty is reporting back from a conversation with Activision Blizzard's now-CFO Armin Zerza one month before the two companies signed the huge deal. "If this deal falls through, [Zerza] cl …

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Now you can play Fortnite on your iPhone or Android for free with Xbox Cloud Gaming

2022-05-05T12:43:09-04:00

Ever since Epic Games started its battle with Apple and Google over their app store fees, playing Fortnite on your mobile device has been more difficult, if not impossible. You could try it on iPhone via Nvidia's GeForce Now but only if you got into a closed beta. But now, Epic Games has decided to partner with the company it spurned - Microsoft - and is putting Fortnite on pretty much anything with a screen for free via the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.

Fortnite is the first free-to-play title to join Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Microsoft says that all you'll need to play (in the 26 countries where it's available) is a Microsoft account and intern …

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Epic is asking a court to stop Google from yanking Bandcamp off the Play Store

2022-04-29T10:02:12-04:00

Epic Games has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop Google from removing independent music storefront Bandcamp from the Android app store - which Google has apparently threatened to do because Bandcamp is using its own billing system instead of paying Google an app store fee.

Bandcamp, which Epic acquired in March, has used its own billing system on Android since 2015, and was able to do so because of rules exempting digital music from having to use Google's billing system, according to a blog post from Bandcamp co-founder and CEO Ethan Diamond. "However, Google is now modifying its rules to require Bandcamp (and other apps l …

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Apple hasn’t decided whether to appeal the Epic v. Apple ruling

2021-09-13T12:39:49-04:00

Apple is still weighing whether to appeal last week's Epic v. Apple antitrust ruling, the company said today. In a call with reporters, a representative said Apple was still evaluating its legal options and had not made a decision about its next steps. The position contrasts sharply with Epic, which announced yesterday that it intends to appeal.

Apple reiterated a position it took last week, casting the ruling as a near-total victory. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed nine of Epic's 10 claims, including ones that would have required iOS to allow third-party app stores and payment processors. She ordered Epic to pay damages for breachin …

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