BRUSSELS—“Fortnite” game developer Epic Games Inc. has filed an antitrust complaint against Apple Inc. in the European Union, broadening its continuing legal battle after filing similar lawsuits in the U.S., Australia and the U.K.
At the core of the legal dispute is how much control and revenue share technology giants should have in relation to popular apps. The online game “Fortnite” was kicked out of both Apple’s App Store and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Play Store last year after Epic introduced a payment system that effectively cut off both companies from the 30% share of users’ spending that they had charged Epic.
Epic has sued both Apple and Google for alleged monopolistic behavior in the U.S., and Apple countersued.
In Europe, Epic’s legal complaint joins plaintiffs including music-streaming service Spotify Technology SA that have prompted a formal investigation into Apple’s alleged anticompetitive behavior.
“What’s at stake here is the very future of mobile platforms,” said Epic founder and Chief Executive Officer Tim Sweeney. “We will not stand idly by and allow Apple to use its platform dominance to control what should be a level digital playing field.”
