Epic Games Draws First Blood in Legal Battle with Apple over Fortnite

Epic Games vs Apple is probably one of the most prolific legal battles of 2020. What began with the banning of Fortnite from the App Store has now turned into one of the biggest lawsuits in the tech industry. The battle may seem like David vs Goliath, where Epic is obviously David- not because they are right, but because of the sheer difference in the size of the companies.

There have been several twists and turns in this saga, as Apple has tried to shut out Epic Games from its ecosystem in every possible way. Although, according to recent developments, it seems Epic Games has managed to secure a small victory.

Also Read: Stats Suggest Epic Games Suffered the Most After Fortnite Ban on iOS

In September, Apple filed a countersuit against Epic Games saying “Although Epic portrays itself as a modern corporate Robin Hood, in reality it is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that simply wants to pay nothing for the tremendous value it derives from the App Store,”

Judge rubbishes Apple’s claims accusing Epic Games of theft

In simpler terms, Apple accused Epic of theft. Interestingly, this claim has now been rubbished by a California judge. According to Bloomberg, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers told lawyers that, “This is a high-stakes breach of contract case and an antitrust case and that’s all in my view,”. In addition to this, she also said, “You can’t just say it’s independently wrongful. You actually have to have facts.”

Clearly, Epic took home a huge win where Apple can no longer accuse them of theft. However, Apple was not happy with the judge’s decision. They even mentioned that Epic’s “reckless behavior made pawns of customers.” Additionally, they also mentioned how they look forward to “making it right for them” in court.

The trial date is set for May 2021, and it will definitely be full of fireworks. Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney has always been vocal about Apple’s alleged monopolistic reign. He has also taken a dig at them from time to time. Furthermore, he also has allies in the form of Spotify, Tinder, and Steam founder Gabe Newell. All of them have spoken up against Apple’s policies. They may not be pitching in the legal battle, but their verbal support is more than enough.

The Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit will change the App market forever and will also have a ripple effect on the entire industry.