The Paypers

According to TechCrunch, after Epic Games implemented a workaround to avoid Apple’s developer fees, Fortnite has vanished from the App Store. The game’s disappearing act came the same day that Epic added a new direct payment option for in-game currency on mobile, offering an 20% discount for players who pay the company for its virtual V-Bucks rather than handing that money to intermediaries Apple or Google.

According to Epic Games, when using Apple and Google as payment options, the companies collect a 30% fee, and the up to 20% price drop does not apply, adding that if Apple or Google lower their fees on payments in the future, Epic will pass along the savings.

Moreover, Apple reported that it removed Fortnite for taking the ‘unfortunate step’ of violating App Store rules, while Epic Games has attacked Apple repeatedly over regarding the cut it takes on the App Store, calling its decisions deliberately anti-competitive.

Furthermore, Epic Games filed a legal complaint against Apple in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, arguing that Apple’s actions impose restraints to unlawfully maintain its 100% monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market.

However, by making the decision to add direct payments, Epic Games was aware that the removal of Fortnite from Apple’s marketplace was likely to come, as by adding the new payment method, it accentuated the controversy over Apple’s App Store fees, TechCrunch reported.

Apple bans Fortnite from the App Store after Epic Games introduces a direct payment option