Apple 'Won' Fortnite Lawsuit Against Epic, But Must Reform Its In-App Purchase Policy
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Although Apple and won the Fortnite lawsuit against Epic Games on paper, but it came at a heavy price. The publisher should reform its in-app purchase policy to give developers more options on the platform.
Epic Games and Apple have been arguing in the courtroom for over a year now.
The creators of Fortnite have challenged the tech giant's restrictions on apps that have payment options beyond those offered in the App Store. They hoped to avoid a 30 percent cut in revenue from every App Store purchase.
However, the bitter feud may be coming to an end. While Apple may have "winn" the case, Epic's lawsuit will lead to big reforms in the industry.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that Epic violated its contract with Apple after they implemented their own in-app purchase system, forcing the developer to pay out 30% of their proceeds.
However, Rogers also ordered a permanent injunction that places new restrictions on Apple's App Store rules. Essentially, all apps should allow developers to direct users to alternative payment methods.
The injunction will take effect December 9 unless it is challenged and overturned in a higher court.
This is the most important decision from the lawsuit and is considered a huge victory for developers moving forward.
However, as mentioned above, the court also ruled that Epic Games violated its contract with Apple when they implemented their own payment system in the Fortnite app.
They will have to pay Apple about $3,5 million in damages.
However, the fight is not over yet. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said the decision "is not a win for developers or Apple" and vowed to "keep the fight going."
He said that Fortnite would only return to the iOS App Store "when Epic can offer in-game payments in a fair competition with Apple," which he believes is not possible right now.