Update: Following Fortnite's removal from Google Play, Epic Games has chosen to file a lawsuit against the Alphabet-owned company.
As reported by The Verge, the companies will meet in court as Epic insists that Google's payment practices through its Android storefront are an "unlawful monopoly", and in violation of the California Cartwright Act and Sherman's act.
The Fortnite creator made a point to note that Google was founded with a motto consisting of three words, "Don't Be Evil."
"Twenty-two years later, Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought, and is using its size to do evil upon competitors, innovators, customers, and users in a slew of markets it has grown to monopolise," said Epic Games.
"This case is about doing the right thing in one important area, the Android mobile ecosystem, where Google unlawfully maintains monopolies in multiple related markets, denying consumers the freedom to enjoy their mobile devices—freedom that Google always promised Android users would have."
Original story: Fortnite has now been scrapped from Google Play Store for Android, following its removal from the Apple App Store earlier today.
The move follows news of a heated clash between Epic Games and Apple - Epic has filed a legal complaint against Apple's decision to remove Fortnite from the App Store.
The court filing alleges that Apple is running an effective monopoly, and in keeping with previous statements from Epic's CEO Tim Sweeney takes issues with the demand of using Apple's payment system and the 30 per cent revenue cut.
Epic has also hit out at Apple via the socials - primarily with a video parody of a 1984 Macintosh advert.
Cutting corners
Earlier today, Epic began offering players a sizable discount on in-game V-Bucks by purchasing directly through "Epic direct payments" rather than the store's page. Using this method, Epic can successfully bypass the 30 per cent commission that Google and Apple take on purchases made through their store front, while offering Fortnite players a lucrative saving.
Google has acknowledged that Epic's alternative payment system is a violation of Play Store policy, thus justifying its removal. In the same statement, the company also said, "we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play."
While Fortnite is no longer available on the Play Store, it can still be downloaded to Android devices through the Samsung Galaxy Store or Epic Games app, depending on the device. But while Android supports installs from third parties, Apple does not.
This isn't the first time that Epic has clashed with Google either - Fortnite rolled out on Google Play through gritted teeth, alongside a statement regarding the platform's "restrictive manufacturer and carrier agreements".
Additional reporting by Kayleigh Partleton.
