Epic Games Sues Apple, Google For Dropping Fortnite From App Stores

Apple and Google kicked out the popular game Fortnite from their app stores after the game's developer Epic Games introduced a direct payment plan that sidesteps their platforms.

Apple and Google take a 30 percent cut from in-app revenue purchases in games, which has been a sore spot with developers for a long time.

Fortnite is free, but users can pay for in-game accessories like weapons and skins. On Thursday, Its developer, Epic Games, said in a blog post that it was introducing Epic Direct payments, a direct payment plan for Apple's iOS and Google Play. Epic announced the system is the similar payment system it already uses to process payments on PC and Mac computers and Android phones.

Apple said in a statement, "Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services."

Google said Fortnite would be available on Android, just not through its app store. Android users can download the app from other app stores, although that's generally not an option for iPhone users.

Epic Games did not immediately return a request for comment. Epic's Fortnite Twitter account said the company would debut a new short film called Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite, a seeming parody of Apple's iconic "1984" commercial that introduced the Macintosh computer. It has also filed a complaint against Apple in the US District Court in Northern California for dropping Fortnite.