Epic says Apple threatens ‘catastrophic’ response in two weeks if Fortnite doesn’t comply with rules

[Karlston]

Epic says Apple threatens ‘catastrophic’ response in two weeks if Fortnite doesn’t comply with rules

Apple now threatens to cut off developer agreement, Epic says 

Image by Epic Games

Epic says that Apple has threatened to cut off its access to all iOS and Mac developer tools as retaliation for sneaking a new payment option into Fortnite last week — a stunt that ended in the app being banned from the App Store and Epic filing a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple, claiming it places illegal restrictions on the distribution of iOS apps.

 

Apple told Epic that its access to development tools would be cut off if the company did not “cure your breaches” to Apple’s licensing agreement, according to a letter from Apple that was shared by Epic. Failing to do so means that Apple will terminate Epic’s inclusion in the Apple Developer Program, a membership that’s necessary to distribute apps on iOS devices or rely on any Apple developer tools. The company won’t be able to notarize Mac apps either, a process that could make installing Epic’s software more difficult or block it altogether. Apple requires that all apps are notarized before they can be run on newer versions of macOS, even if they’re distributed outside the App Store.

 

Epic has filed for a preliminary injunction against Apple, asking the court to stop the company from cutting it off. Epic says it will be “irreparably harmed long before final judgment comes” if it does not obtain the injunction. “Apple’s actions will irreparably damage Epic’s reputation among Fortnite users and be catastrophic for the future of the separate Unreal Engine business,” Epic writes.

 

Apple declined to comment on the motion. A spokesperson for the company pointed to a statement Apple released last week, saying that Epic “took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines” and that it would “make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations.”

 

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Epic says Apple threatens ‘catastrophic’ response in two weeks if Fortnite doesn’t comply with rules

 

[Karlston]

Apple threatens to boot Epic—including Unreal Engine—off Mac and iOS

Fortnite is just one game; Unreal Engine powers dozens more.

Enlarge / A Fortnite loading screen displayed on an iPhone in 2018, when Apple and Epic weren't at each other's legal throats.

Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

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The new legal battle between game developer Epic and iPhone-maker Apple continues to heat up, as Epic says Apple will be cutting it off from the developer platform for Mac and iOS before the end of this month.

 

Epic wrote in a court filing (PDF) that Apple said its membership in the Developer Program will be terminated as of August 28. ,According to Epic, Apple's move threatens not only Fortnite but also every game that uses Unreal Engine: "By August 28, Apple will cut off Epic's access to all development tools necessary to create software for Apple's platforms—including for the Unreal Engine Epic offers to third-party developers, which Apple has never claimed violated any Apple policy," Epic said.

 

"If your membership is terminated, you may no longer submit apps to the ‌App Store‌, and your apps still available for distribution will be removed," the letter said.

 

According to the filing, Apple informed Epic that upon termination from the program, a lengthy list of tools and features would no longer be available to it, including software development kits (SDKs), application programming interfaces (APIs), and a host of other tools. Epic would also no longer be able to conduct "Engineering efforts to improve hardware and software performance of Unreal Engine on Mac and iOS hardware; optimize Unreal Engine on the Mac for creative workflows, virtual sets and their CI/Build Systems; and adoption and support of ARKit features and future VR features into Unreal Engine by their XR team."

 

Fortnite is currently available for Mac through Epic's own digital storefront, which does not break Apple's rules.

“The damage... will be unquantifiable and irreparable”

"This would be an existential threat to the Unreal Engine," Epic said. "The damage to Epic's ongoing business and to its reputation and trust with its customers will be unquantifiable and irreparable."

 

Epic on Thursday effectively goaded Apple into pulling Fortnite from its App Store by launching a new end-run around Apple's rules for in-app purchases. Less than an hour after Fortnite was taken down, Epic filed a suit (PDF) accusing Apple of anticompetitive behavior.

 

"Apple has become what it once railed against: the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation," Epic alleged in its suit. "Apple is bigger, more powerful, more entrenched, and more pernicious than the monopolists of yesteryear. At a market cap of nearly $2 trillion, Apple’s size and reach far exceeds that of any technology monopolist in history."

 

 

Apple threatens to boot Epic—including Unreal Engine—off Mac and iOS

 

[d5aqoep]

What about Microsoft Office 365 subscription? I purchased 1 yr subscription voucher code from amazon, reedemed it on my MS email on office365 website and am using the same credentials on all Office365 apps on my iPhone, iPad and iMacs. I completely bypassed Apple. How come Microsoft gets a free pass?