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Apple files counterclaim against Epic over Fortnite's direct payment option

It is after "restitution and disgorgement of all earnings"

Apple files counterclaim against Epic over Fortnite's direct payment option

Apple has filed a counterclaim against Epic Games as it seeks damages due to the ongoing App Store dispute between the two companies.

As reported by Reuters, the tech giant will ask the court for monetary damages that have occurred as a result of the new payment option Epic created for Fortnite, prior to its removal from the App Store. Due to the games firm's actions, Apple was unable to claim its 30 per cent commission.

Apple is seeking "restitution and disgorgement of all earnings, profits, compensation, benefits, and other ill-gotten gains obtained by Epic as a result of its conduct."

However, the American tech firm has said it would reinstate Fortnite on the App Store, should Epic remove the offending payment option that caused the disagreement in the first place. However, the Fortnite creator has made it clear that it will not back down. Instead, it wants to take a stand against Apple as it would rather not "collude with Apple to maintain their monopoly over in-app payments in the App Store".

See you in court

Following Fortnite's removal, Epic filed a lawsuit against Apple and was awarded temporary protection for its Unreal Engine, ensuring iOS and Mac developers could still use it. However, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers refused to force Apple to put the battle royale back on its storefront since she believes the predicament to be of Epic's "own making."

Since then, the games behemoth has asked the court to reconsider that decision, citing the damage that both Epic itself and third parties have suffered as a result of Apple's retaliation.

Watching from the sidelines, Google – who also removed Fortnite from its storefront for the payment issue – has asked that its own case with Epic Games be kept apart from Apples. Moreover, the tech giant has made its stance on its court case clear as it gears up to ask for a dismissal.


Staff Writer

Kayleigh is the Staff Writer for PocketGamer.biz. Besides PGbiz and PCGI she has written as a list writer for Game Rant, rambling about any and all things games related. You can also find her on Twitter talking utter nonsense.