AppStore is owned by Apple.com which controls the market share of 30.88% of iOS users worldwide as per July 2022 Statistics. Apple’s iPhone dominates by a strong userbase who prefer premium and paid content as compared to Android users.
Fortnite was a free to download and play for all iPhone & Mac Users. But This game is currently available only on Windows PC, Android Devices, Sony Play Station, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Switches. This game is now removed from AppStore and Apple’s Ecosystem.
Why did Apple removed Epic’s FORTNITE and other Games from it’s Store?
Epic games is the parent company that owns Fortnite Game. They were registered as Game Developers in America since 1991. Since’s Fortnite is a free game the developer introduced in-app purchase skins and other items to its users, also know as microtransactions.
But Apple has a high tax cut on all transactions of 30%, known as Apple Tax. All developers who sell content via AppStore have to pay such whoping tax to Apple as commissions. This was undigested by the Game Developer and CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney. This programmer didn’t agreed to apple’s high taxed commission and found a direct way of selling skins to its users.
Timothy Dean Sweeney, started selling skins and in-app items direclty from their website in the name of gaming bucks. These bucks are called as V-Bucks, which is available on Offline and Online modes too. In this way, the Fortnite gamers were discounted and saved from paying higher prices easily bypassing apple in-app store commissions.
When Apple came to know this, they stopped allowing using such V-Bucks claims to its Apple users. This started the clash between Tim Sweeney and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple. This case was moved to court for justice and Apple’s Monopoly and Control over such high market commissions. Since, Court disputes takes years to resolve and sort out, Apple Removed the Developer EPIC Games from its AppStore stating the commissions on sales were not paid as per Apple Developer’s Policy. The Law suit ruled in the favor of Apple and Epic games has applead the court.
Apple won the case against Fortnite Developers stating the game makers didn’t informed Apple about their in-game revenue which was againsts AppleStore’s Policy. Slowly this war became a Billion Dollar Battle for “FORTNITE” with 350 Million users and this Popular game developers lost the case in US Federal Court.
Even Google also jumped into this matter and took a stand with Apple. Since, Epic Games was removed from both AppStore and Google Playstore since Game Developers filed a Anti-Trust policy case on Apple’s Monopoly War. Apple said, it wouldn’t allow FORTNITE back on the AppStore until the Court Verdict comes out or they have to pay a “30% Apple Tax”.