Fortnite is taking the battle royale into the courtroom with developers Epic Games set to sue tech giants Apple and Google after the game was removed from the App Store.
Epic Games introduced direct payments into the mobile version of Fortnite, which bypasses the App Store's ability to take cuts from in-game purchases.
Apple first removed the game from iOS before Google followed up a few hours later, which has resulted in Epic deciding to take the two companies to court.
The developers started a #FreeFortnite movement following the removals, and their first statement on the matter read, "Apple's removal of Fortnite is yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100% monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market."
They also took the opportunity to sling some mud in the direction of Apple, saying, "Apple intentionally sabotages consumer iOS devices to prevent users from installing software directly from developers, as consumers are free to do on PC and Mac."
Following Google's removal of the game, they filed their lawsuit with a 63-page document that opens with Google's motto from 1998, "Don't Be Evil." Using the line, they stated that Google had "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 monopolize."
The change to the payment system initially allowed Epic Games to offer V-Bucks, the in-game currency used in Fortnite, at a discounted rate of up to 20%.
The developers left the option for players to purchase through their App Store of choice, but it would be at the regular price.
