Epic has won a temporary restraining order against Apple in part which restricts the latter from taking action against Epic’s developer tools and accounts.

US court judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers granted a temporary restraining order in part to the gaming giant who had sought an injunction against Apple stating that Apple had threatened its 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,” Epic Games had tweeted.

‘Apple’s monopoly’

“In the injunction motion, Epic accuses Apple of “retaliation” and reasserts its mission to disrupt what it views as Apple’s monopoly over its mobile software market. The company cites concerns that Apple’s actions against its developer access will damage its business beyond Fortnite, particularly its work on Unreal Engine, the prominent game engine it licenses to third-party software makers,” the lawsuit read.

Rogers restricted Apple from taking any action against Epic’s developer account; however, he maintained that the ban on Fortnite will remain in place for now.

“The Court finds that with respect to Epic Games’ motion as to its games, including Fortnite, Epic Games has not yet demonstrated irreparable harm. The current predicament appears of its own making,” Rogers said.

He argued that Epic “strategically chose to breach its agreements with Apple which changed the status quo.”

However, he also ruled against Apple, restraining it “from taking adverse action against Epic Games with respect to restricting, suspending or terminating any affiliate of Epic Games, such as Epic International, from Apple’s Developer Program, including as to Unreal Engine, on the basis that Epic Games enabled in-app payment processing in Fortnite through means other than IAP or on the basis of the steps Epic took to do so.”

Apple and Google earlier this month had removed Fortnite from their respective app stores after Epic snuck in an update that allows users to purchase in-game currency at a lower rate directly from its payments system bypassing the app stores’ payment system. Epic had retaliated by filing a lawsuit against Apple highlighting its “anti-competetive” behaviour.

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