The legal battle between Apple and Fortnite developer Epic Games begins today. Taking place in Oakland, California, this court case has been anticipated for several months and will likely determine the fate of the popular battle royale on iOS platforms. In short, Epic circumvented Apple’s 30 percent transaction fee by allowing players to purchase Fortnite’s in-game currency directly through the game’s store. Apple immediately removed the game from the Apple store, leading to several unprecedented developments.
The most immediately pressing of these developments in the lawsuit, the audio of which is being broadcast live on TheGameAwards’ YouTube channel. The purpose of the trial itself is to determine if Apple, the defendant, has created a monopoly of the iOS App Distribution market. On one hand, Apple may retain the right to charge as high of a transaction fee as it likes because it owns its own market; on the other, it may be decided that Apple’s fee of 30 percent is too high for app developers to prosper. Whatever the outcome, it’s sure to be a landmark case in the gaming industry.
This lawsuit is important for larger reasons than simply whether Fortnite will come back to the iOS store. If Apple loses, other developers may ostensibly have free reign to offer in-game stores as well. While this may not immediately affect gamers, Apple would stand to lose a significant amount of income. Should Epic lose, on the other hand, it would still have plenty of other ways to earn money from Fortnite.
