Judge Rejects Epic's Temporary Restraining Order Request For Fortnite (But Grants It For The Unreal Engine)

Judge Rejects Epic's Temporary Restraining Order Request For Fortnite (But Grants It For The Unreal Engine)

4 years ago
Anonymous $UzyKJJH9oy

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200825/16144345181/judge-rejects-epics-temporary-restraining-order-request-fortnite-grants-it-unreal-engine.shtml

On Monday there was a... shall we say... contentious first hearing in the antitrust fight/contract negotiation between Apple and Epic over what Apple charges (and what it charges for...) in the iOS app store. The issue for the hearing was Epic's request for temporary restraining orders against Apple on two points: first, it wanted a restraining order that would force Apple to return Fortnite to the app store. Second, was a restraining order on Apple's plan to basically pull Epic's developer license for the wider Unreal Engine.

As the judge made pretty clear would happen during the hearing, she rejected the TRO for Fortnite, but allowed it for the Unreal Engine. The shortest explanation: Apple removed Fortnite because of a move by Epic. So Epic was the cause of the removal. The threat to pull access for the Unreal Engine, however, seemed punitive in response to the lawsuit, and not for any legitimate reason.