Epic Fires New Legal Salvo Over Fortnite

Epic Games has launched a new court bid to force Apple to reinstate Fortnite to the App Store.

The developer has filed a preliminary injunction with the goal of requiring Apple to restore its developer account and return the app to the storefront. Epic said it wants to stop Apple from “retaliating” against it while its antitrust case proceeds.

“Apple is a monopolist and standing up to them is a necessary step to free consumers and developers from the unlawful restrictions Apple has imposed over app distribution and in-app payment processing on iOS. For too long, developers have not spoken out because they fear Apple’s retaliation.

“The company’s recent actions show that if you challenge Apple’s monopoly, Apple will attempt to destroy your business. We are committed to speaking up and securing lower cost, competitive access for all,” the developer said.

In its court filing, Epic stressed that it neither wants to force Apple to provide distribution and processing services for free, nor to use Apple’s services without paying for them.

“What Epic wants is the freedom not to use Apple’s App Store or in-app purchase, and instead to use and offer competing services,” it said.

After barring Apple from blocking Epic’s Unreal Engine last month, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is set to hear arguments on a longer-lasting injunction on September 28. Apple pulled Fortnite from its App Store in mid-August for offering alternative payment methods that bypassed the 30% fee the manufacturer charges for subscriptions and in-app purchases, which was a breach of App Store rules.