The battle royale genre may not have been as popular as it is today if it wasn’t for Epic Games’ Fortnite. This free-to-play title was such a massive worldwide hit that Epic Games has continued to support it with new content and seasonal updates. It’s also a game that’s spread to other platforms since its launch. However, if you’re a newcomer to this franchise, the game is only available on console platforms and PC. At one time the game was supported for both Android and iOS tablets or smartphones, but a new legal lawsuit has come up to see just where the future stands for this game on the mobile market.
If you’re unfamiliar with the latest events, Epic Games previously had their hit Free-to-play title Fortnite on both Apple and Google’s mobile marketplaces. Things were going well until Epic Games opted to make a way in which players could pay for in-app purchases directly to Epic Games. This would ultimately bypass the need to share some of the microtransactions profits with Apple and Google. As a result, both companies decided to remove the game application altogether.
This prompted legal lawsuits from Epic Games due to the game’s removal. Apple wasn’t going to take this lightly as they fired back with removing Epic Games’ support for the Apple development tools. Essentially, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine would no longer be able to develop games that would be released on the Apple iPhone, iPad, or Mac. That would be a heavy hit for Epic Games as the developer would simply not use Unreal Engine if they wanted to develop a game for the mobile market.
The battle is moving on with Epic Games shining more light on the legal lawsuits with a new Fortnite tournament called #FreeFortnite Cup. It’s a typical tournament filled with all kinds of prizes. From physical goods to digital downloads. One of the skins players can even win is the one Epic Games made to mock Apple, essentially and gray-colored character in a suit but with an Apple head.
We’re certainly interested in seeing just how this battle goes between the companies. While Epic Games will take a hit with losing development tools support for Apple, if Epic Games wins the cases, then other developers could likely bypass the need to split the revenue with the likes of Apple and Google for their in-app purchases. Those of you who want to take part in this latest tournament for Fortnite can find the official details right here.
