San Francisco (AFP)

Apple and Google on Thursday pulled Fortnite from their app stores, after Epic Games, the publisher of the ultra-popular video game, tried to bypass the systems for paying commissions owed to the two tech giants.

Developers must pay app download platforms - the App Store and Google Play Store - a 30% commission on user transactions.

But Epic Games has installed an alternative payment method, which saves players money by bypassing the default, and mandatory, built-in systems.

“Today, Epic Games made the unfortunate decision to break the App Store rules, which apply to all developers and are designed to keep the store secure for our users,” Apple told the 'AFP.

"As a result, Fortnite has been removed from the store."

Video game enthusiasts using Apple-branded devices will be able to continue playing, but they will no longer receive updates, which go through the App Store.

In response, Epic Games decided to take Apple to court. The studio accuses the Californian group of abuse of a dominant position and "anti-competitive" practices.

"Apple is bigger, more powerful, more entrenched and more pernicious than the monopolies of yesteryear," declaims the complaint filed Thursday in federal court.

- "Tyrannical tax" -

Approximately 350 million people have played Fortnite since 2017, when this survival shooter became a star in esports competitions, released.

Epic Games has asked the court to force Apple to change its rules for all app developers.

"Apple imposes unreasonable and illegal restrictions to monopolize the two markets", indicates the complaint of the studio, which describes the commission of 30% of "tyrannical tax".

"Apple has become what he once cursed against. The monster who wants to control the markets, block competition and stifle innovation," the document explains.

The iPhone maker is in the crosshairs of many regulators and app publishers who are contesting the company's hold on the App Store, a necessary step for downloading apps to its popular devices, from smartphones to tablets.

Apple has defended itself against similar attacks in the past by saying that commissions are used to protect apps and their users from hackers and scams. Its percentage may drop to 15% from the second year of a subscription.

- Judge and party -

The situation is different on Google's operating system, Android, which allows developers to offer their apps through different platforms.

But "for game publishers who choose to go through the Play Store, we have consistent regulations that are fair to developers and ensure store security for users," Google told AFP.

"Fortnite remains available on Android, but we can no longer offer it on Play because it violates our rules," the group continues, while expressing its willingness to discuss with the publisher so that the game can return.

By bringing the case to court, Epic Games "is testing the temperature" as Apple "is in the limelight of authorities in both Washington and Brussels over the App Store stronghold," said Dan Ives, of Wedbush.

The analyst thinks that the Silicon Valley giant will win the game, as always, even if he must be careful of the "cascading effects" with the other developers, who will closely follow the battle.

The boss of Apple, and those of Amazon, Google and Facebook, were questioned at the end of July by a parliamentary commission on their practices vis-à-vis their competitors, whom many elected officials consider anti-competitive.

Apple is accused of being both judge and party on the App Store, since it manages the platform and also offers its own products.

© 2020 AFP