Epic Games’ legal battle with Apple and Google, which began in August 2020, has now reached the UK. Epic has filed a claim with the Competition Appeal Tribunal against both, with the same complaints as in the US and Australia.
Although all based in the US, Epic, Apple and Google also have registered companies in the UK and the EU, so the dispute is coming to these shores. The claim was made late last year, but the notice was only published on January 14 (cheers, Gamesindustry.biz).
Epic’s claims against Apple and Google are known to anyone who has followed the months-long dispute. It started when Apple and Google decided not to add a direct payment option to the mobile version of Fortnite with Epic – so Apple and Google could not get their hold – which prompted them to remove the game from stores remove.
Apple and Google claim that Epic knowingly violated the rules, while Epic claims that their dominance over the mobile market is competitive. It has announced that it is suing Apple using one of Apple’s old add-ons and exploiting the mostly very young fanbase. There is even merch and skins, and of course a Fortnite tournament.
Epic hopes the tribunal will make a statement that certain provisions of the Development Program Licensing Agreement (DPLA) with Apple are illegal, along with the removal of Fortnite from the App Store and Play Store. It wants Fortnite to be repaired, and that Apple cannot restrict the download of the Epic Games Store or Epic’s apps. It is also looking for an order that will prevent Google from insisting that the Play Store be pre-installed on Android devices, or any other preferential treatment it receives compared to other app stores.
On January 21, Epic will meet with the Tribunal to plead his case, and again he will not claim damages. Epic and CEO Tim Sweeney have from the outset painted the dispute as a battle with David and Goliath where Epic wants to improve the mobile ecosystem and not just make more money. Epic is obviously no David and was worth about $ 17 billion last year.
In the US, cases are further, with an actual trial for the Epic vs. Apple case scheduled for May. Meanwhile, Apple has been ordered to leave subsidiaries of Unreal Engine and Epic alone. A temporary restraining order was upgraded in October, which prevented Apple from retaliating by taking action against Epic Affiliates until the dispute was resolved.