Tim Sweeney Says Fortnite Could Be “Blacklisted” From Apple For Up To Five Years

Apple has rejected Epic’s request to reinstate its developer account.

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Apple is not reinstating Epic’s developer account. According to Epic founder and CEO Tim Sweeney, Apple has “blacklisted” Fortnite until the developer has exhausted the appeals process, which could take up to five years.

Earlier this month, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers ruled in the Epic versus Apple case that Apple must allow third-party payment options, but did not go as far as to label Apple a monopoly. The judge ordered Epic to pay close to $3.5 million, plus 30 percent of any additional revenue collected from Fortnite’s iOS app through the judgment date. Apple’s termination of its developer program license agreement with Epic was also ruled valid.

Fortnite remains absent from Apple’s App Store after the ruling, with Sweeney taking to Twitter in order to post his latest email exchange with the company. “Apple lied,” said Sweeney. “Apple spent a year telling the world, the court, and the press they’d ‘welcome Epic’s return to the App Store if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else’. Epic agreed, and now Apple has reneged in another abuse of its monopoly power over a billion users.”

Sweeney shared his email documenting Epic’s $6 million payment to Apple in compliance with the court decision. His message includes a request for Apple to reinstate the Fortnite development account, and that Epic “promises that it will adhere to Apple’s guidelines whenever and wherever we release products on Apple platforms.”

Apple’s response to Sweeney denies the request, saying it has “exercised its discretion not to reinstate Epic’s developer program account at this time. Furthermore, Apple will not consider any further requests for reinstatement until the district court’s judgment becomes final and nonappealable.”

Epic immediately appealed the ruling in its case against Apple, as it continues to seek to lower the 30 percent fee charged to developers. While the first court decision did offer rulings in favor of both parties, Apple can still charge its fee, while Epic no longer has a right to use the platform to host its games.

Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/apple-epic-fortnite-blacklisted-ios-store/