STORY: :: Epic Games
Popular multiplayer shooter game “Fortnite” is back on Apple’s App Store in the U.S. after a nearly five-year ban.
Fortnite is made by Epic Games, a U.S.-based studio backed by China’s Tencent.
They have been locked in a legal battle with Apple since 2020.
Epic Games alleged the tech giant’s commission fees of up to 30% on in-app payments violated U.S. antitrust rules.
:: File
Fortnite became an instant success when it launched in 2017.
It’s free to play, but allows players to buy in-game currency to spend on things like a character’s appearance.
A payment system for that currency – called V-Bucks – bypassed Apple’s commissions, leading to the App Store ban.
At the time of the ban, Epic had 116 million users just on Apple’s platform.
:: Epic Games
Fortnite’s return to Apple’s iOS systems in the U.S. follows a late April ruling by a federal judge.
It said Apple violated a U.S. court order that required the company to allow greater competition for app downloads and payment methods in its App Store.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Fortnite’s return to its App Store, while Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney posted, quote, “we back fam” on social media platform X.
Epic Games, Apple, App Store, Fortnite
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