In the next step in the argument between Apple and Epic Games, Epic Games has stated that Apple is threatening to terminate its developer account, a move that would cut it off from iOS and macOS development tools.
Epic informed the public of its upcoming termination over Twitter, stating that the company is requesting a temporary restraining order that could prevent Apple from taking “any adverse action against it.”
Such a restraining order also asks the court to prevent Apple from “removing, de-listing, refusing to list or otherwise making unavailable the app Fortnite, including any update thereof, from the App Store on the basis that Fortnite offers in-app payment processing through means other than Apple’s IAP or on any pretextual basis.”
Apple has submitted the following letter to Epic:
“Upon further review of the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership, we have identified several violations of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Therefore, your Apple Developer Program account will be terminated if the violations set forth below are not cured within 14 days.”
As part of the removal, Apple is stripping Epic of access to software development tools. This would effectively neuter Epic’s Unreal Engine as well as access to hundreds of iOS and Mac apps. Through its filing, Epic claims that the Unreal Engine, which is licensed to third-party developers, did not violate Apple’s policy.
“Apple is attacking Epic’s entire business in unrelated areas,” Epic said in its lawsuit.
The conflict began on August 14th, when Epic incorporated a “direct payments” system for its Fortnite video game, effectively avoiding Apple’s 30 percent commission on digital goods.
Apple, in turn, remove Fortnite from the App Store less than eight hours later, stating that Epic had violated Apple’s decade-old App Store terms and conditions.
Epic, anticipating the move, launched a lawsuit stating that Apple has become a “behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition and stifle innovation,” and claims that the company’s size and reach “far exceeds that of any technology monopolist in history.”
Epic has long been critical of the 30 percent digital commission fee, which company CEO cited as an “absolute monopoly” in July.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Twitter