Google you have removed Fortnite from your app store Play Store after the calculated move by Epic Games to skip commissions by implementing a direct payment method. Apple was the first to take the step and remove Fortnite from the App Store and now Google follows in its footsteps: if we search for Fortnite in the Google Play Store there is no trace.
Just as Epic Games had the lawsuit (and even a video) prepared against Apple, they had also prepared a 63-page lawsuit against Google, claiming that the company engages in “anti-competitive practices and a monopoly on in-app payments.” In the case of Google the commission is also 30% for applications and in-app products, one of the reasons why Fortnite was not in the Play Store at its launch.
Fortnite is no longer in either of the two big app stores
Yesterday the news broke that Fortnite had implemented its own payment method in both the App Store and the Play Store, something that violates, according to both companies, the rules of the respective stores. In fact, Epic Games’ move was aggressive, since the price they stipulated for direct payments to the company compared to payment via the App Store and Google Play was quite different, $ 7.99 direct payment to Epic games, 9, 99 dollars paid via app store.
Google claims that its policies “are consistent” and that Fortnite can no longer be in the Play Store for violating the rules
In the case of Google Play Store, according to the statement to which The Verge has had access, this violates Google Play policies, so they have removed the application from the store. The thing does not end here and it is that Google, as we read in the lawsuit itself, is forcing OnePlus to break a deal with Epic Games Through which the Chinese brand would install a Fortnite launcher on their phones. Similarly, the lawsuit claims that Google wants “any other manufacturer to abandon any plans to do the same.”
“Android’s open ecosystem allows developers to distribute apps across 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. Yes While Fortnite is still available on Android, we are no longer able to make it 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. “
If we take a look at the monetization and ads policies of Google Play, we see that the first point is that the developers must use Google Play billing for in-app purchases as a payment method, without mentioning that alternative methods are allowed. Similarly, it is indicated that “for applications and products offered through Google Play, the applicable service fee is equivalent to 30% of the price.”
In the Google case, the Epic Games attack has not been as notorious as with Apple, a company for which they prepared a video imitating the original launch of the Macintosh, in order to protest against the company’s policies. If you had the game downloaded on Android you can continue playing, but no updates can be received. As it happened at the beginning, it seems that the solution to play Fortnite will be to download it from external applications or from the Epic Games installer for Android.
From Xataka Android we have contacted Google to expand this information and we will update as soon as we receive a response.
Via | The Verge