The latest volley in the ongoing battle between Epic Games and Apple is a proposed Arizona bill that will allow Fortnite to circumvent Apple and Google’s payment systems. Under this bill, Epic Games will be able to offer its own payment method, removing both Apple and Google from the equation altogether. This bill could only drive a bigger wedge between the tech giants and the most popular gaming brand in the world if this bill is passed.
Epic Games has been in an ongoing legal battle with both Google and Apple for quite a while, beginning when the publishers updated the Fortnite app on mobile devices to circumvent Apple and Google’s in-app payment systems. Epic also elected to give discounts to players who used their alternative payment method. The mobile app was quickly removed from both app stores, with Epic Games suing both Google and Apple separately for the app’s removal.
According to The Verge, an amendment to Arizona’s existing HB2005 prevents app store operations from forcing developers based in Arizona to use a preferred payment method. This will be a big issue for Google and Apple in the lawsuits, with both wanting to force Epic Game’s app to redirect to their respective mobile app stores and take a commission on in-app purchases and sales.
The Arizona House of Representatives narrowly voted to allow the proposed bill to pass with a 31-29 vote on Wednesday. The amendment specifically prohibits stores that exceed 1 million downloads from requiring developers within the state of Arizona to use a specific in-application payment system as the primary or exclusive mode of accretive payments from a user. The most interesting part of this amendment is that it also specifically exempts game consoles and any other devices connected to the internet. The bill also prevents companies such as Apple and Google from retaliating against developers who wish to use another payment method over their own.
This bill should allow developers to use third-party payment systems and by-pass Google and Apple’s 30% cut that has been the industry standard for years. Whether or not other developers take advantage of this, following in the footsteps of Epic Games, is yet to be seen. This bill could significantly impact the state of Arizona and the state’s relationship with the two tech giants going forward, but it could also open the door for additional freedom in how Fortnite players pay to game on mobile devices.
Source: The Verge