'Fortnite' Has Been Removed From Google's Play Store & Now Epic Is Fighting Back
Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store on Thursday, and now Google has followed suit. Fortnite for Android has been withdrawn from the Google Play Store after Epic Games added a direct payment option to its mobile game.
Google defended the removal on the grounds that Epic broke its platform rules. In a statement, Google wrote that "the open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app stores. For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users. While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play."
But Epic isn't taking the decision lying down. Just hours after Fortnite was removed from the Play Store, Epic filed suit against Google over alleged antitrust violations. Epic’s complaint alleges that Google’s payment restrictions on the Play Store have created a monopoly, violating both the Sherman Act and California’s Cartwright Act.
The suit comes amid Epic's all-out campaign against Apple and its App Store rules. After the Fornite app was removed on Thursday morning, Epic sued Apple for anti trust violations before sharing an in-game video parodying Apple’s own 1984 commercial, framing Apple itself as the monopolist. Watch it below.