Epic Games launches war against Apple and Google app stores

In case you were wondering what Epic Games intends to do with the $1.78 billion in funding it secured recently, it seems shaking up the current (tech) world order is one of the goals. Last week, Epic Game added a direct payment option to its Fortnite video game. This resulted in the game getting kicked out from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Both companies to not allow direct transactions as they require a cut from in-game purchases.

ExtremeTech noticed Epic Games was prepared as the company launched lawsuits against both Google and Apple in record time. Furthermore, Epic Games also kicked off a social media campaign against Apple, poking fun at the latter's old 1984 marketing campaign.

Epic Games is not looking for monetary damages but wants to change the mobile app distribution system. This would help the company to launch its own app store.

Epic’s vision for mobile app distribution calls for major changes: “There is no reason that downloading and installing an app on a mobile device should differ from downloading and installing software on a personal computer.” That would amount to a huge change in the security model of mobile platforms. Is it necessary? That probably depends on how you feel about the state of the market. Together, Android and iOS make up virtually all smartphones, and given that, should Apple and Google have so much control over content distribution? It’s a hard one to answer.

Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly. In retaliation, Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices.

Visit https://t.co/K3S07w5uEk and join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming "1984" https://t.co/tpsiCW4gqK

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2020