Latest news with #JonathanBeach
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Fortnite developer claims win against Apple and Google
An Australian court has found Apple and Google misused their market power in a dispute with the maker of wildly popular video game Fortnite . Both Apple and Google kicked Fortnite off their respective app platforms in 2020, after the game designed an in-app payments system that cut the tech giants out of the loop. Developer Epic Games retaliated by launching legal action against the tech giants in a string of courtrooms around the world. Australia's Federal Court this week found the tech firms' app-store dominance reduced competition, likely forcing game developers to pay higher commission fees. "This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!" Epic Games said in a statement Tuesday. Justice Jonathan Beach however rejected Epic Games' claims that Apple and Google engaged in unconscionable conduct. A Google spokesperson said the company disagreed with some of the court's findings and would "review the full decision when we receive it and assess our next steps". Australian lawyers have lodged a class action suit seeking compensation from Apple and Google on behalf of game users and developers. "The judgement is a turning point," said Kimi Nishimura from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. "It sends a clear message that even the most powerful corporations must play by the rules and respect the rights of consumers and developers alike." Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, laying claim to hundreds of millions of registered players.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Epic Games wins partial victory in Australian court against Google, Apple
Agencies Epic Games, the company behind the popular online game Fortnite, won a partial victory in an Australian court in U.S. billionaire chief executive Tim Sweeney's claim that Google and Apple engaged in anti-competitive conduct in running their app stores. Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach on Tuesday upheld key parts of Epic's claim that the tech giants breached Australian competition laws by misusing their market power against app developers and using restrictive trade practices. Google and Apple 's dominance of the app market had the effect of substantially lessening competition and breached Australian law, Beach found. But the judge rejected some of Epic's claim including that Google and Apple engaged in unconscionable conduct as defined by Australian law. Sweeney is also challenging Google and Apple dominance in the app markets through the courts in the United States and Britain. The litigation began in August 2020 when Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store expelled Fortnite because Epic installed a direct payment feature in the extraordinarily popular game. The court ruled both companies pressured app developers including Epic through contracts and technology to sell their products through the two dominant app stores. Epic posted online that the judgment was: 'Another HUGE WIN for Epic Games!' Apple said the company 'faces fierce competition in every market where we operate.' 'We welcome the Australian court's rejection of some of Epic's claims, however, we strongly disagree with the Court's ruling on others,' Apple said in a statement. Google said it would review the judgment. Google and Apple could potentially appeal the ruling before the Federal Court full bench. 'We disagree with the court's characterisation of our billing policies and practices, as well as its findings regarding some of our historical partnerships, which were all shaped in a fiercely competitive mobile landscape o
Al Etihad
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Fortnite developer claims win against Apple and Google
13 Aug 2025 13:22 SYDNEY (AFP)An Australian court has found Apple and Google misused their market power in a dispute with the maker of wildly popular video game Apple and Google kicked Fortnite off their respective app platforms in 2020, after the game designed an in-app payments system that cut the tech giants out of the Epic Games retaliated by launching legal action against the tech giants in a string of courtrooms around the Federal Court this week found the tech firms' app-store dominance reduced competition, likely forcing game developers to pay higher commission fees."This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!" Epic Games said in a statement Jonathan Beach however rejected Epic Games' claims that Apple and Google engaged in unconscionable conduct.A Google spokesperson said the company disagreed with some of the court's findings and would "review the full decision when we receive it and assess our next steps".Australian lawyers have lodged a class action suit seeking compensation from Apple and Google on behalf of game users and developers."The judgement is a turning point," said Kimi Nishimura from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers."It sends a clear message that even the most powerful corporations must play by the rules and respect the rights of consumers and developers alike." Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, laying claim to hundreds of millions of registered players.
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Fortnite developer claims win against Apple and Google
Both Apple and Google kicked Fortnite off their respective app platforms in 2020, after the game designed an in-app payments system that cut the tech giants out of the loop. — Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash SYDNEY: An Australian court has found Apple and Google misused their market power in a dispute with the maker of wildly popular video game Fortnite. Both Apple and Google kicked Fortnite off their respective app platforms in 2020, after the game designed an in-app payments system that cut the tech giants out of the loop. Developer Epic Games retaliated by launching legal action against the tech giants in a string of courtrooms around the world. Australia's Federal Court this week found the tech firms' app-store dominance reduced competition, likely forcing game developers to pay higher commission fees. "This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!" Epic Games said in a statement Tuesday. Justice Jonathan Beach however rejected Epic Games' claims that Apple and Google engaged in unconscionable conduct. A Google spokesperson said the company disagreed with some of the court's findings and would "review the full decision when we receive it and assess our next steps". Australian lawyers have lodged a class action suit seeking compensation from Apple and Google on behalf of game users and developers. "The judgement is a turning point," said Kimi Nishimura from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. "It sends a clear message that even the most powerful corporations must play by the rules and respect the rights of consumers and developers alike." Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, laying claim to hundreds of millions of registered players. – AFP
Sharjah 24
7 days ago
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Fortnite developer claims win against Apple and Google
Both Apple and Google kicked Fortnite off their respective app platforms in 2020, after the game designed an in-app payments system that cut the tech giants out of the loop. Developer Epic Games retaliated by launching legal action against the tech giants in a string of courtrooms around the world. Australia's Federal Court this week found the tech firms' app-store dominance reduced competition, likely forcing game developers to pay higher commission fees. "This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!" Epic Games said in a statement Tuesday. Justice Jonathan Beach however rejected Epic Games' claims that Apple and Google engaged in unconscionable conduct. A Google spokesperson said the company disagreed with some of the court's findings and would "review the full decision when we receive it and assess our next steps". Australian lawyers have lodged a class action suit seeking compensation from Apple and Google on behalf of game users and developers. "The judgement is a turning point," said Kimi Nishimura from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. "It sends a clear message that even the most powerful corporations must play by the rules and respect the rights of consumers and developers alike." Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, laying claim to hundreds of millions of registered players.
