Fortnite returns to Google Play Store after court order
What's the story
Epic Games's popular battle royale game, Fortnite, is back on the US Google Play Store. The reinstatement comes after a recent settlement in a five-year-long legal dispute between Epic and Google over in-app purchase sales. The conflict started when Epic launched a version of Fortnite that circumvented existing in-app payment systems on iOS and Android devices back in 2020.
Ongoing dispute
Epic's legal battle with Apple
The legal battle with Google was a part of a larger conflict that also involved Apple. After Epic launched the new version of Fortnite, both Apple and Google removed the game from their app stores. This prompted Epic to file antitrust lawsuits against both tech giants. In Apple's case, a court ruled that while Apple wasn't a monopolist, it must allow developers to point to other payment mechanisms if they choose.
Court ruling
Apple's restrictions partially overturned by appeals court
An appeals court has partially overturned the agreement between Apple and Epic, calling some of the restrictions "overbroad." However, it did say that Apple could tell developers not to make their links to payments bigger or more prominent than Apple's own. The court also ruled that Apple is allowed to charge a fee on purchases made outside its App Store, which is a major setback for developers who had managed to avoid Apple's commission.
Return celebration
Epic Games celebrates return to Google Play Store
Despite the ongoing dispute with Apple, Epic Games is celebrating its return to the Google Play Store. This comes after a court ruled that Google had engaged in anticompetitive behavior. As part of a new agreement, Google now allows app developers to point to alternative payment mechanisms and has capped the fees it can charge. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney hailed it as a "comprehensive solution" reinforcing Android as an open platform.