Fortnite maker sues Apple and Google over antitrust claims

The move came after Fortnite was removed from App Store and Play Store

Epic Games has launched a lawsuit against Apple and Google over antitrust claims, after the two firms removed the developer's popular Fortnite game from their app stores.

Fortnite, launched in 2017, is a free-to-play battle video game and among the top earning apps of all times. Last month, the game had nearly two million downloads in both the App Store and Play Store.

While it is free to play, Fortnite users are charged for purchasing extras, such as outfits and other cosmetic enhancements.

On Thursday, Epic Games announced a direct payment plan for Fortnite users, offering them a 20 per cent discount to the Apple price for in-app purchases. The firm said that it was able to offer the lower price because it was avoiding Apple's 30 per cent App Store tax.

Introducing a direct payment plan meant Epic was trying to bypass Apple and Google, which normally take a cut of in-app purchases.

Both companies criticised Epic Games for breaching their guidelines and announced they would be dropping Fortnite from their app stores.

In a statement, the iPhone maker said that it was compelled to remove Fortnite after Epic took the unfortunate step of launching the direct payment option with the "express intent of violating the App Store guidelines".

The company added that its guidelines are meant to "create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users".

In a statement, Google said that it had "consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users".

"While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies."

The search giant stated that it would continue to discuss the issue with Epic to bring Fortnite back to Google Play.

In its lawsuit [pdf], Epic said that it was not seeking monetary compensation but wants a ruling from the court that would change the way tech giants run their app stores. The company said that it was seeking injunctive relief to allow fair competition for all developers.

Epic described Apple's payment system as monopolistic and illegal and said the iPhone maker had designed policies to ensure that "the App Store is the only distribution channel for developers to reach iOS app users."

It said the removal of Fortnite from the App Store was "yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100% monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market."

In its suit against Google, Epic said it was bringing "claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and under California law to end Google's unlawful monopolisation and anti-competitive restraints."

It accused Google of creating "contractual and technological barriers" that "foreclose competing ways of distributing apps to Android users" and also eliminate "consumer choice and competition in mobile app distribution."