Seoul (AFP)

The shooting game Fortnite, one of the most popular video game licenses, is at the heart of a new episode, in South Korea this time, of the arm wrestling to capture the manna of mobile applications, engaged between the giants of the Apple and Google technology on the one hand and the publishers of these applications on the other.

US video game developer Epic Games said on Friday it asked Apple to reinstate its flagship game "Fortnite" to the South Korean App Store, but Apple has rejected the request, saying Epic will have to follow its rules to be reinstated. .

Last month, South Korea was the first country to pass a law banning Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the payment systems of tech giants, declaring their lucrative app monopolies illegal. Store and the Play Store.

The law is expected to come into force in the coming days and will make mandatory the possibility of using an alternative payment method, allowing users to bypass fees set by broadcasting platforms.

"Epic intends to re-release Fortnite on iOS in Korea by offering both Epic payment and Apple payment side-by-side, in accordance with the new Korean law," the developer said on the game's official Twitter account on Friday. Fortnite.

Apple reacted to AFP, saying that Epic Games could not return to the App Store until it agrees to "play by the same rules as everyone".

“Epic has admitted to breaking the contract and as of now there is no longer a legitimate basis to reestablish their developer account,” the company added.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney enthusiastically welcomed the passing of the law on Friday, calling it "a major milestone in the 45-year history of personal computing" on his Twitter account.

"I am a Korean," he added.

Apple and Epic are at the forefront of a global conflict between broadcast platforms and content creators over how revenue should be distributed, with billions of dollars at stake.

- Ongoing proceedings in the United States -

Apple and Google are indeed under fire for having taken up to 30% commission on sales of applications and required the use of their own payment systems, receiving a share of transactions.

Faced in the United States with a number of class actions concerning these rules, the two American giants reached an agreement last August which allows small developers to inform their customers of alternative payment options beyond their App Store.

At the same time, US senators have launched legislation that could make it illegal for operators like Apple and Google to require the use of their own payment systems for transactions.

This isn't the first time that Fortnite gaming has found itself in the midst of turmoil: Last year, Apple pulled Fortnite from its App Store after Epic introduced direct payment in the app, thereby bypassing the Apple system.

Epic has sued Apple for the takedown and the case is before the courts in the United States.

Apple will allow certain mobile applications to include a link to their website, where users can manage their accounts and pay for their HECTOR RETAMAL AFP / Archives subscription

"Fortnite" is one of the most popular games in the world, with more than 350 million users, more than the American population.

While the game is free to download, it generates billions in revenue with the purchase of additional content, such as outfits and dance moves, for their characters by players.

At the beginning of September, Apple gave up ballast to application publishers, allowing some of them to include, in their application, a link to their site, in order to be able to bypass its payment system, which generally charges them 15 and 30% commission.

However, this gesture only concerned certain cultural content apps - books, newspapers, music or video - but not video games, which constitute the largest part of the income.

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