Apple ends Epic’s developer account after Fortnite fee clash

Apple Inc. said it terminated Epic Games’s App Store developer account in the midst of a legal battle over the iPhone maker’s in-app-purchase rules.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant had recently threatened to do this after Epic added an option for users of its Fortnite video game to pay Epic directly for in-game upgrades. That avoided a 30% cut that Apple takes through its App Store and broke Apple’s rules.

“We are disappointed that we have had to terminate the Epic Games account on the App Store,” Apple said in a statement. “We have worked with the team at Epic Games for many years on their launches and releases.