The cross-platform game engine company Unity Software on August 24 has filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company is for an initial public offering (IPO). Unity Software is among the rivals of Fortnite’s parent Epic Games. Just recently, Epic Games had a disagreement with Apple over the tech giant’s App Store guidelines.

Unity’s Software

Unity Software essentially develops and produces platforms for developers to use in making their games. The company began in 2004, with a 2005 public release. Their software was initially exclusive for Mac OS but has expanded to various platforms later on. In addition, aside from game developers, they also create platforms for use of filmmakers, artists, automotive designers, architects, among others.

Unity Software Files for New York Stock Exchange IPOhttps://t.co/kyIDQwQcOd

— Stocktwits (@Stocktwits) August 24, 2020

Global Reach In Unity Software

The San Francisco-based software developer firm intends to debut on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, the symbol that they will use, according to the filing, is “U.” The company also mentioned that they are “the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D content.”

The company also said that about ¾ of their revenue comes from over 700 clients with revenue of above $100,000, as of June. Moreover, in their SEC filing, Unity also said that they have almost 1.5 million active creators across the world (nearly 200 countries). 

Rival’s Current Epic Game

CNBC noted that the timing of their filing coincided with their rival’s fight with tech titan Apple. Epic Games, one of Unity’s main competitors, is recently in a disagreement with Apple that involved the former filing a lawsuit. The reason is Apple’s App Store rule that collects a cut for in-app purchases. Epic does not like that 30 percent fee.

With this issue, the future of Epic Games’ own platform called Unreal Engine may be uncertain as it may lose support for Apple’s support on iOS, which powers millions of phones and tablets across the world.

The post Unity Software to Trade Publicly Amid Rival Epic Games’ War with Apple first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

After suing Apple for pulling Fortnite from the App Store, Epic Games is doing the same to Google. Google had also dropped Fortnite from the Google Play Store, though gamers can still buy it on Android and the Samsung Galaxy Store.

However, Epic Games put in a new wrinkle in its Google lawsuit. In its suit, Epic accuses Google of forcing OnePlus to break a deal to pre-install Fortnite on their phones. Moreover, Epic also charges Google of forcing LG to do the same thing with their phones.

Google vs. Epic Games: OnePlus’ Fortnite Launcher

According to The Verge, OnePlus and Epic would have made a special Fortnite launcher that would install the game on OnePlus phones. When Google found out, it pushed OnePlus to abandon the deal. Google was worried that the launcher could bypass the Play Store.

This deal would have made the Fortnite launcher available worldwide, according to Epic. However, Google demanded OnePlus to break off the deal. Only OnePlus phones sold in India carry the launcher.  

Google vs. Epic Games: Fortnite on LG Phones

Epic Games also accuses Google of doing the same thing with LG. Both Epic Games and LG had made a deal to install the Fortnite launcher on LG phones. However, Google stepped in again to demand LG break the deal.

Google said LG had to stop the deal because they had signed a contract with Google. This contract said LG should not allow “side downloading” on the Google Play Store this year. 

Google & Apple vs. Epic Games

Apple pulled Fortnite from the App Store because Epic would have allowed gamers to pay for V-bucks directly to Epic Games. These lawsuits will force Google and Apple to deal with their antitrust issues.

The post Epic Games Sues After Google Pulls Fortnite From Play Store first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

Epic Games and Apple’s legal showdown continues. After the Fortnite maker took the first shot in court, Apple shot back with another lawsuit. With the suit, Apple wants the court to force Epic to pay damages. The company also wants the court to move Epic to honor its contract. 

Apple vs. Epic Games, Round 3

In the Gizmodo report, Apple claims that Epic Games hurt its reputation and relationship with customers. According to Apple, Epic’s behavior even “threatens the very existence of the iOS ecosystem.” 

Apple’s Claims against Epic Games

Apple also claims that Epic sent a “Trojan Horse” to the App Store. The company had hidden some code in Fortnite that let them bypass Apple’s app review. By skipping the review, Epic was able to let users pay them directly for V-bucks. However, Epic denied doing such a thing.

Moreover, Apple claimed that Epic’s behavior was theft. The company said that Epic found a way to enjoy the iOS platform without paying Apple the money they owed. In deleting Fortnite from the App Store, Apple was simply enforcing its rights. 

What We Know So Far About Apple vs. Epic Games

Epic Games had already filed a suit to restore Fortnite to the App Store, while they battle Apple in court. Earlier, Epic had already won a restraining order against Apple. The order kept Apple from deleting Epic’s Unreal Engine from the App Store. 

Apple had wanted to remove the Unreal Engine because they believed Epic would violate its Unreal Engine contract. However, the court saw no reason for Apple to remove the engine. 

Several game developers and filmmakers use the Unreal Engine to create their products. The next hearing for Epic Games and Apple will take place on September 28. 

The post Apple Fires Back at Epic Games with Lawsuit first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Sam Arnold

Epic Games is looking to fight back against Apple in court. In the first hearing, the judge had allowed Apple to terminate Epic’s iOS developer account. With the decision, Epic could not update Fortnite on iOS. Now, Epic has made a response.  

Epic vs. Apple, Round 2

Gizmodo reports that Epic wants the court to let them put Fortnite back on the App Store. This request comes after Epic had skipped the game’s iOS and macOS version when it launched the latest chapter of Fortnite last week.

Epic asks court to put Fortnite back in the App Store while it fights with Apple. https://t.co/TeRhCFJqFp pic.twitter.com/8mldWid6gC

— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) September 6, 2020

The company said that Fortnite’s absence on iOS would cause them a lot of trouble. Moreover, Epic is also asking the court to restore its iOS developer account. 

In a statement, Epic also accused Apple of running a monopoly. The company also accused Apple of “trying to destroy its business.” Likewise, Epic said that taking a stand against Apple is necessary. They want to free consumers and developers from Apple’s restrictions on the App Store.  

Apple’s Response

In response, Apple told Gizmodo that Epic Games had agreed to its App Store policy in the first place. The company said it did not coerce Epic to agree to their terms. Moreover, the relationship between the two companies led to a “successful business on the App Store.”

Apple added that they want to work with Epic Games to resolve all violations so that they could return Fortnite to the App Store. 

Apple’s In-App Purchase

The whole issue started with Apple’s 30% cut from in-app purchases. Also, developers have to agree never to put in place other payment methods that bypass Apple. Epic had broken the rules by allowing direct payment on Fortnite on iOS and macOS.

The post Epic Games Asks Court to Restore Fortnite to App Store first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

Apple has escalated its battle with Epic Games. After the first hearing in Epic’s lawsuit last week, Apple has deleted Epic’s developer account. The company had threatened to do it before. With Epic now unable to access iOS developer tools, they can no longer update Fortnite on iOS. They also can no longer put their games up on the App Store. 

Apple Strikes at Epic Games

In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple confirmed that it had terminated Epic Games’ App Store account. Both companies had worked together on several launches and releases in the past. However, Apple said that Epic refused to comply with App Store rules even though the court asked them to. Apple also blamed Epic for its legal battle.

The Response from Epic Games

Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney shot back on Twitter. He said that Apple chose to terminate the company’s account, even though they didn’t have to. In the tweet, Sweeney also noted that Epic uploaded several updates to the App Store. These updates included the Season 4 update for Fortnite. Sweeney said they uploaded the Season 4 update just in case Apple wants to restore Fortnite to the App Store. 

Apple's statement isn't forthright. They chose to terminate Epic's account; they didn't *have* to.

Apple suggests we spammed the App Store review process. That's not so. Epic submitted three Fortnite builds: two bug-fix updates, and the Season 4 update with this note. pic.twitter.com/VpWEERDp5L

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 28, 2020

Epic Games vs. Apple

Epic Games had triggered Apple to respond by adding the option for Fortnite players to pay Epic directly when they buy the in-game currency V-bucks. Through direct payment, Apple would be unable to take its 30% cut from in-app purchases. This move violated App Store policies. According to Apple, every app that requires users to pay should give Apple 30% of its sales.

In response, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store. Epic then sued Apple for the removal.

The post Apple Terminates Epic Games’ iOS Dev Account first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

Apple has responded to Epic Games in their ongoing legal battle. After Epic Games sued Apple for removing Fortnite from the App Store, Apple filed a legal response to explain its decision. Now, Apple is charging Epic Games of trying to arrange a deal to get special treatment 

Apple Responds in Court

CNBC reports that Apple wants the court to bar Epic Games from the App Store until they resolve the lawsuit. Apple SVP Phil Schiller said that Epic wanted to get special treatment in the App Store. They supported this claim with emails sent from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney. To make this deal, Epic had asked Apple for a “side letter” to get their special deal. 

Apple's statement is misleading. You can read my email in Apple's filing, which is publicly available. I specifically said in Epic's request to the Apple execs, "We hope that Apple will also make these options equally available to all iOS developers…" https://t.co/yRio08fPSy pic.twitter.com/HsqjApFQeo

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 21, 2020

Apple’s Counter Charges

Apple also stressed that Fortnite’s removal from the App Store was all Epic’s fault. Epic had broken Apple’s policies. The company also said it didn’t deny Epic Games access to iOS. 

Moreover, Apple said that Epic Games wanted special treatment for only themselves. The company had asked Apple to let Fortnite charge players for V-bucks through Epic’s platform, not Apple’s in-app purchases. The Fortnite maker also wanted to launch an Epic app store on the iPhone. Next, Schiller added that Sweeney had told him via email that Epic was going to break Apple’s payment rules.

Epic Games Responds

But then Sweeney countered Apple by producing his emails. Through his emails, Sweeney said that Apple was lying. He tweeted out one of his emails to Apple, which stated that Epic wants Apple to loosen its rules “for all developers.” 

Apple had already threatened to terminate Epic’s developer account over their legal battle. In response, Epic continues to attack Apple’s reputation through Fortnite events like the “Free Fortnite Cup.” 

The post Apple Says Epic Games Tried to Get Special Treatment for Fortnite first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

Epic Games is accusing Apple of putting game developers in danger by threatening to revoke iOS support for the Unreal Engine. This move is also part of Apple’s threats to revoke Epic’s access to iOS developer tools and accounts. On Sunday, Epic submitted a new motion with these charges.

Now, Microsoft has defended Epic in its battle with Apple. 

Epic Games vs. Apple

According to The Verge, Epic said Apple’s threats would risk other developers, who have nothing to do with the case. If Apple pushes through with its threats, it will punish a lot of game developers, when only one dev broke the rules.

However, Apple noted revoking access was within its rights. The company was just enforcing its policies. Yet they didn’t deny that iOS support was on the line.

In response, Epic added that Apple wants to intimidate other companies that defy the company. The company intends to retain its access to iOS tools and accounts even though they had taken Apple to court. 

Apple’s Response

Engadget reports that Apple had said Epic was provoking them to respond because they had broken App Store policies. Moreover, the company said that Epic Games was trying to “deceive Apple,” and companies who do that “lose access.”  

Microsoft’s Statement

As this legal battle continues, Epic seems to have found an ally in Microsoft. A tweet from Xbox boss Phil Spencer announced that Microsoft had made a statement in support of Epic. 

Today we filed a statement in support of Epic's request to keep access to the Apple SDK for its Unreal Engine. Ensuring that Epic has access to the latest Apple technology is the right thing for gamer developers & gamers https://t.co/72bLdDkvUx

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) August 23, 2020

The company said that if Apple revoked access, a lot of game developers wouldn’t be able to patch bugs or fix security issues in their games. If this happens, even Microsoft won’t be able to keep supporting its iOS games, like Forza.

The court will decide on this issue.

The post Microsoft Backs Epic Games in Fight With Apple first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

Fortnite’s latest update won’t come to Apple devices, according to Epic Games’ latest statement. This news comes after the first hearing Monday on Epic’s lawsuit against Apple. For other devices, the Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 4 update comes out on August 27. 

Epic’s Statement

In a statement, Epic Games confirms they will not work with Apple anytime soon. The company says that Apple wants them to continue using Apple’s payment policies. By refusing, Epic says they are fighting back against Apple’s monopoly on iOS payments. They had said that Apple’s monopoly stifles competition and raises prices for consumers.

Tomorrow’s Fortnite update won’t be coming for Apple users, Epic says it’s a 'matter of principle' https://t.co/E9bUS8P2nC pic.twitter.com/GHHt1F5oVm

— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) August 27, 2020

Moreover, Epic said that consumers should have the right to install whatever apps they want. They should also install these apps from any source they want. For developers, they should also enjoy competition in a free and fair market. 

Apple’s App Store Policies

For security reasons, Apple only lets users install apps from the App Store. Apple screens every app for malicious code or other harmful elements to protect the user. While it sounds extreme, this move does protect user data from theft or attacks from bad actors.

However, Apple’s rules force developers to stick to Apple alone. If they plan to upload a paid app or one with in-app purchases, they also have to give Apple a 30% commission. Once they agree to this deal, they also have to process all payments through Apple’s system. Apple gets its 30% first before it pays the developers. 

The Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 4 Update

Only Android users can download the Fortnite update on August 27. They can get it from the Epic Games App and the Samsung Galaxy Store. Apple users also can’t download future updates.  

The post Fortnite’s New Update Won’t Come to iOS And macOS first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

The battle between Apple and Epic Games continues. Now, Apple is moving to cut off Epic from the App Store’s developer tools and accounts. If the company succeeds, Epic Games would no longer be able to upload Fortnite to the App Store. 

Apple Fights Back

In a Twitter post, Epic Games said that Apple was terminating all their iOS and Mac developer accounts, effective August 28. Epic called this move “retaliation” by Apple. Earlier, the Fortnite creator had filed a lawsuit against Apple for removing the game from the App Store.

Likewise, Epic responded by updating its lawsuit. The company now wants the court to issue a temporary restraining order against Apple. In the order, the court will tell Apple not to remove Fortnite from the App Store. 

Epic Games’ Response

Epic also wants the court to stop Apple from removing, or disabling, Fortnite from users’ iOS devices. The company also wants Apple not to cut them off from developer tools and accounts.

Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020

Apple is also planning to cut Epic’s access to the Unreal Engine, which they also offer third-party developers. In the lawsuit, Epic claimed that the Unreal Engine followed all App Store policies. Epic also said Apple did not say whether the Engine broke any App Store rules.

 Based on Epic’s claims, Gizmodo said there might not be any good reason for Apple to remove Fortnite from both iOS and macOS. There might also be no good reason for Epic to lose access to developer tools. 

Apple vs. Epic Games

Both Apple and Google removed Fortnite from their App Stores for instating a direct payment mode to Epic Games. This payment mode bypasses both companies’ 30% cut from in-app purchases. Epic sued Apple in response.

The post Apple Moves To Cut Off Epic Games first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Rob Sterling