Epic Games and Apple Bring the Thunder Down Under
Epic Games and Apple have been fighting each other in the courts for a while now, and Epic Games has officially filed a lawsuit against Apple in Australia. This legal claim isn’t much different from Epic Games’ previous lawsuits against Apple, it continues to dispute App Store commissions and monopolistic practices. Fortnite remains excluded from the App Store, with Chapter 2 Season 5 coming next month for gamers everywhere else to enjoy. Fortnite is available for free right now on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, mobile, PC, and Mac.
According to Epic Games’ thirteen-page legal filing in Australia, the decisions over in-app purchases and banning Fortnite from Apple’s App Store breaches the Australian Consumer Law and several sections of the Competition and Consumer Act. Epic Games is particularly focusing on Section 46 which was added in 2017 following a 2015 review into Australian consumer protection law and is intended to prevent companies that hold a large amount of power (Apple) from engaging in anti-competition acts. #FreeFortnite continues to trend on and off, but Apple fans of the battle royale seem to have taken the biggest hit.
“Apple’s conduct has hindered or prevented, and continues to hinder or prevent, Epic and other app developers and in-app content payment providers from competing or effectively competing in the iOS App Distribution Market and the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market,” says Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple in Australia. While Epic has taken Apple to court in Australia, it’s important to note that they haven’t filed a lawsuit against Google in the Oceanic country despite ongoing legal issues with them over Play Store commissions as well.
Where do you think Epic Games versus Apple will happen next? Let us know in the comments below!