Apple on Tuesday made its latest move in the company's epic battle with Epic Games. After Epic introduced a direct-payment plan bypassing Apple and Google platforms (which take a significant cut of the proceeds from in-game purchases), both tech giants responded by removing Epic's wildly popular Fortnite from their app stores. Epic then sued both companies, and Apple responded by threatening to cut off Epic's access to all development tools. Epic responded to that move by filing to block it. (Apple did, however, end up suspending the company's developer account late last month.) Now, in its filing of counterclaims and responses to Epic, Apple is seeking damages for breach of contract, CNBC reports.
Epic has claimed it is simply seeking to break Apple's monopoly over iOS software, per Ars Technica, but in its filing, Apple says, "Although Epic portrays itself as a modern corporate Robin Hood, in reality it is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that simply wants to pay nothing for the tremendous value it derives from the App Store." It says Epic has made $600 million from its App Store. "Left unchecked, Epic’s conduct threatens the very existence of the iOS ecosystem and its tremendous value to consumers," the filing says, per the Verge. Apple also says its requirement that payments go through the App Store is necessary for security and privacy. It's not clear how much Apple wants, but the tech giant is asking for restitution of all money Epic collected through its own payment system, and it wants that payment system permanently banned in all of Epic's apps. (More Apple stories.)
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