Since Apple’s confrontation with Epic Games accelerated, the game maker has seen its Apple users fall, Epic said in a legal document on Friday.
Daily active users of Epic’s hit Battle Royale game Fortnite on Apple’s iOS operating system have dropped by more than 60% since the tech giant removed the game from Apple’s App Store, Epic said at the presentation. . More than 60% of Fortnite users on iOS access Fortnite only on Apple devices, the video game company said.
“The harm to these users is significant,” says the presentation. Epic also warned that Apple’s actions could cause its business “irreparable damage.”
The issue arose on August 13, when Epic began offering customers a way to purchase items directly through its Fortnite app, eliminating fees that go to Apple. On the same day, Apple removed Fortnite from its store for violating its store guidelines. Later, Epic sued Apple, alleging monopoly behavior.
Since August 27, when Epic issued a game update that was not available for Apple devices, “all iOS Fortnite users were left stranded, unable to play with their friends.
Epic stated that more than 116 million registered users accessed Fortnite through iOS more than any other platform.
A judge has set a hearing for September 28 on Epic’s request for a court order. In Friday’s filing, Epic asked the court to stop Apple from removing Fortnite from the app store in what it called “retaliation” for offering in-app purchases through its own marketplace.
