Apple can continue blocking Fortnite from App Store: Federal Court
- The Epic Games vs Apple antitrust case will go to trial in May
- The federal judge said that many other factors will determine the ruling
- Apple claims that Epic Games breached it's developer contract.
A federal judge on Saturday ruled against Fortnite, allowing technology giant Apple to block the game from its App Store during the landmark antitrust lawsuit, as per CNN report.
Epic Games sued the iPhone makers (AAPL) after the App Store parted ways with Fortnite. The ground for Apple discontinuing the video game was based on a claim that Epic deliberately breached the terms of its developer contract.
According to Apple, Epic sought to circumvent Apple’s in-app payment system, using a software update that encouraged the game players to buy in-game currency directly from Epic Games.
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The buy-in currency meant that Apple would not be entitled to the 30% cut of Fortnite revenues on IOS. In an immediate move, the silicon valley giant discontinued Fortnite and Unreal Engine by Epic Games on the App Store.
According to CNN, the federal judge Yvonne Gonzalez was asked for a preliminary injunction by Epic so Fortnite could be a part of the App Store community again. Its demands also included Apple not profiting from retaliating against the company and its overseas affiliates.
However, with a landmark judgement in hand and two tech giants involved, the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust panel issued a historic report finding that Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google have monopoly power and have abused their dominance in the marketplace.
“Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate this action for the future of the digital frontier, but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders,” the judge wrote.
“This matter presents questions at the frontier edges of antitrust law in the United States.”
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However, assuming ‘too many unknowns remain’ to determine if Epic’s anti trust claim would pass, the judge let Apple not allow Fortnite on its App Store.The case, Epic Games v. Apple, is expected to go to trial next May.
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