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Apple has removed Fortnite from the App Store

Clash of the titans

Apple has removed Fortnite from the App Store
Update

Fortnite has now been removed for download from Google Play. 

Update

Epic has now released a video mocking Apple within Fortnite. 

Update 

Epic has now filed legal papers in response to Apple removing Fortnite from the App Store. The fact that Epic has announced this via the official Fortnite Twitter account only reinforces that it's aiming to drag players into its fight against Apple. 

Original story

Earlier today, Epic Games began selling IAPs within Fortnite at a discounted price through a direct payment option on mobile. You could still buy your IAPs in-game via Google Play or the App Store, though you would pay the full $9.99 as opposed to $7.99 for sending that money straight to Epic.

Why was this done? Well, because Google and Apple take a whopping 30% cut of every IAP bought through their payment channels. Now, however, Apple has made the decision to remove Fortnite altogether from the App Store as this new direct payment option violates the store's guidelines.

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In a statement to The Verge, Apple made it clear that it aims to work with Epic to "resolve these violations" so that Fortnite can return to the App Store. This is only the latest case of Epic attempting to break Google and Apple's stranglehold, with Fortnite for Android having initially sidestepped a Google Play launch. That decision was ultimately reversed earlier this year.

What's especially interesting about all of this is how Epic has framed its direct payment option as a pro-consumer move. By offering a heavy discount to those who use this method and then waiting for Apple or Google to snatch it away, Epic has likely aligned consumers to its cause. After all, I don't want to have to pay a couple quid more just to line Apple or Google's pockets when Epic is offering a compelling alternative.

Fortnite is still available for download from over on Google Play at the time of writing. 

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Cameron Bald
Cameron Bald
Cameron started out as an intern here in late 2018, then went on to join us as our News Editor in July 2019. He brings with him an encyclopedic knowledge of decade-old GamesMaster review scores and plenty of stinking takes on games, movies, and proper pizza etiquette.