Epic Games is hitting back at Apple over the removal of Fortnite from the iOS App Store by hosting a #FreeFortnite Cup Tournament for players on all platforms, with prizes that make fun of Apple’s logos and image.
The two companies have been in conflict since Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store last week, claiming Epic broke its developer agreement by allowing in-app purchases through means other than the App Store system, from which Apple takes a cut. Epic hit back with a lawsuit against Apple, saying that its practices were anticompetitive.
Now, Epic says that iOS players will be “left behind,” as they will not be able to update their apps to the latest versions, leaving them unable to play the upcoming Season 4.
“These are the final days of the entire Fortnite community’s ability to play together,” Epic Games said in a blog post. “Apple has blocked Fortnite from the App Store, preventing players from updating to new versions. Players on iOS devices will be left behind on Chapter 2 — Season 3 while everyone else jumps into the Chapter 2 — Season 4 launch on August 27.”
Ahead of the launch of Chapter 2 — Season 4, the #FreeFortnite Cup event will begin on Sunday, August 23, and allow all players to play together for the last time (at least for now). Points are awarded for active time playing, eliminating other players, and winning a Victory Royale.
The prizes have some fun at Apple’s expense, including a Tart Tycoon outfit in the form of a giant apple-headed man in a suit, which will be awarded to players who earn at least 10 points, and a physical Free Fortnite cap featuring a graphic reminiscent of the old Apple logo, which will be awarded to the 20,000 top-scoring players.
The rift between the two companies has led to some panic among players on iOS devices, andpre-owned phones with Fortnite installed on them have been spotted on eBay for crazy prices of up to $4,000 or $5,000. Users of iOS who don’t already have the app installed on their device are out of luck, but Android users can continue to download and play the game by installing directly from the Epic Games app.
