In the latest development of the very heated and public bickering between Apple and Epic Games, Epic Games claimed that Apple responded fiercely to its cause. According to Epic, Apple will discontinue Epic’s access to the development tools for iOS and MacOS later this month, including those it uses to work on the Unreal Engine used by countless other developers around the world.
Epic quickly pointed out that Apple has not indicated that the Unreal Engine itself has violated App Store policies. “Not content simply to remove Fortnite from the App Store, Apple is attacking Epic’s entire business in unrelated areas.” In response to this threat, Epic has already prepared an injunction against American multinational company.
Epic claims it would eventually be successful in its recently filed lawsuit, but that Apple is attempting to “crush” Epic before the case can get to that point with what it says would be a “catastrophic” action against the Unreal Engine.
Specifically, the injunction seeks to prevent Apple from doing three fundamental things: remove Fortnite from the App Store (or make it unavailable anyway); take adverse action against Epic, such as terminating their access to the Apple Developer Program; or remove Fortnite from existing users’ devices.
Essentially, Epic is asking the courts to force Apple to put its actions, both those it has taken and those it may take in the future, against Epic and Fortnite on hold while its case is tried in court.
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020
“Apple’s retaliation represents an existential threat to Epic’s Unreal Engine. OS providers like Apple routinely make certain software and developer tools available to software developers, for free or a small fee, to enable the development of software that will run on the OS. Apple intends to deny Epic access to that widely available material,” reads the new injunction.
“Without that access, Epic cannot develop future versions of the Unreal Engine for use on iOS or macOS. Developers that intend to sell their apps for use on iOS or macOS devices will have to forgo the Unreal Engine in favor of other engines. The effects will reverberate well beyond video games; it will affect developers who use the Unreal Engine on Apple products in many fields. The ensuing impact on the Unreal Engine’s viability, and the trust and confidence developers have in that engine, cannot be repaired with a monetary award. This is quintessential irreparable harm,” the document further states.
Stay tuned for further updates on it only on GamerTweak.com.
