(CNN Business) A federal judge has ruled that Apple can continue to block the hit video game Fortnite from its app store as the iPhone maker defends a landmark antitrust lawsuit by the game's publisher, Epic Games.
The ruling means that, for the foreseeable future, millions of Fortnite players who access the game on iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices will remain unable to play the game's latest content or download app updates.
Apple AAPL Epic Games suedin August after Apple removed Fortnite from its platform. Apple blamed Epic for deliberately breaching the terms of its developer contract when Epic sought to circumvent Apple's in-app payment system — using a software update that encouraged Fortnite players to buy in-game currency directly from Epic Games.
The move meant Apple could not take its 30% cut of Fortnite revenues on iOS, prompting it to ban Fortnite as well as Unreal Engine, a software tool owned by Epic that is widely used by game developers and Hollywood.
In federal court, Epic had asked Judge Yvonne Gonzalez for a preliminary injunction that would restore Fortnite to the Apple App Store. It also asked for a ruling barring Apple from retaliating against the company and its overseas affiliates.
bigpigfoot on October 10th, 2020 at 13:30 UTC »
Apple and Epic were so close back in the Infinity Blade days...
InItsTeeth on October 10th, 2020 at 12:35 UTC »
I substitute taught 7th grade this week and I brought up Fortnight Fortnite for some reason and the kids laughed. So I asked if they still played it and they all groaned and said no one plays that anymore.
One small data point but Fortnight Fortnite has vastly overestimated their popularity among tweens.
ThannBanis on October 10th, 2020 at 07:18 UTC »
Of course. Until Epic remove their own payment method they are in violation of the TOS that they agreed to.