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Following the start of the official Fortnite vs Apple lawsuit, which began on May 3rd, 2021, the two mega-companies have spent over two weeks in courts trying to come out on top of things. The hearing is still ongoing, and by the looks of it, Epic Games seems to be on top of things for the moment and may just win. The tentative end date is May 24th. However, given how complex these proceedings are, the tide could change at a moment's notice.
The issue first started when Epic Games began to bypass Apple's in-store payments, allowing players to purchase directly from Fortnite rather than via the app store. The move forced Apple to block Fortnite on all iOS devices, which in turn led to the lawsuit. IOS players have not been able to enjoy the game since August 2020, but hopefully, things will be resolved soon.
Want to know what items might feature in the shop tomorrow? Check out our predictions for tomorrow's Fortnite Item Shop
Resident YouTuber GOLDEN is tracking the hearing, and according to him, based on the information at hand, Epic Games is on top of the situation and likely to win. However, even a win may not guarantee Fortnite's return to iOS devices, which will not only affect the app store but also permanently cut off Epic Games' revenue from Fortnite on iOS.
Also Read: Fortnite x Apple lawsuit begins today - What it means for the future of Fortnite
Fortnite vs Apple Lawsuit: Everything that has happened so far
According to the court trials, Apple is not doing too well in terms of being in the right. The judge presiding over the case even brought up points about how Apple was being anti-competitive, and Epic's rebuttals were on point and in their favor.
Following the trends in the courtroom, Epic Games has won both week one & two, in terms of presenting evidence against Apple. The final hearing will take place on May 24th. With one more week to go, things could swing in anyone's favor, depending on evidence and defense statements, in conjunction with laws.
Not wanting to be left out, the Fortnite community began taking jabs at Apple on social media after Apple's lawyers for some reason began grinding at Epic Games about Peely and asking questions that had no relevance to the actual matter at hand. One of these was about the 30% commission fees on transaction within the app store for Fortnite items.
Also Read: Epic vs Apple trial debates Fortnite banana Peely's "naked" appearance in the game
Despite Apple trying to nitpick small details, Epic Games remained calm and painted a larger picture using evidence to show how Apple's practices were hurting the entire competitive market. Nonetheless, even if Epic Games wins, there is still no telling when the game will be back in the app store. For now, all iOS Fortnite players can do is watch and wait as the seasons go by.
Watch the video of the latest court hearing here:
Also Read: Fortnite for iOS (mobile) could return by October 2021
The Battle Bus is heading into Fortnite! Check out the final Fortnite item shop today!
