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'FreeFortnite' tournament taunts Apple amid legal battle
By Glenn CHAPMAN
San Francisco (AFP) Aug 21, 2020

US media take on Apple over App Store commission
San Francisco (AFP) Aug 21, 2020 - Major American media organizations have written to Apple pushing for the iPhone maker to charge less to feature on its App Store, a week after the company behind hit video game Fortnite sued the tech giant over the same issue.

Trade body Digital Content Next (DCN) -- which represents top titles including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal -- wrote to Apple boss Tim Cook asking why they are not given more favorable terms like some other companies.

They argue that instead of paying 30 percent of transactions in the App Store, they should be cut the same deal as Amazon Prime Video, which pays Apple just 15 percent in commission.

"We would like to know what conditions our members -- high quality digital content companies -- would need to meet in order to qualify for the arrangement Amazon is receiving," DCN's letter dated Thursday said.

The letter refers to a heated House of Representatives antitrust hearing at the end of July in which Cook said the cut-price deal was available to companies that met certain conditions.

"I ask that you clearly define the conditions that Amazon satisfied for its arrangement so that DCN's member companies meeting those conditions can be offered the same agreement," DCN boss Jason Kint wrote.

The collective of news outlets argue their "most trusted and well-respected media brands" reach a huge audience amounting to a "100 percent reach of the US online population."

Last week the maker of Fortnite -- Epic Games -- sued Apple for the way it rules over the App Store, accusing the iPhone maker of wielding monopoly power.

Epic called on a federal judge to order Apple to stop its "anti-competitive conduct" and invalidate the tech giant's rules requiring app developers to pay 30 percent of transactions as the price of doing business in the App Store.

The suit was filed the same day Apple booted Fortnite from the online marketplace, after Epic added a payment system that let player transactions bypass the App Store system, saving money in the process.

Apple has in recent months come under fire for the tight grip it has on the App Store, which is the sole source of applications for its popular mobile devices.

The maker of video game sensation Fortnite is taunting Apple amid its legal battle with the tech titan, launching a tournament on Sunday to highlight its war on the App Store fee policy.

"All of your friends. Awesome prizes. And one bad apple," Epic Games said in a post on its website.

The "FreeFortnite Cup" is free to enter and prizes include a virtual "Tart Tycoon" outfit featuring an apple head, sunglasses and condescending frown.

Players with top scores in each of the game's 20,000 regions around the world will be sent caps with a "Free Fortnite" logo playing off of Apple's iconic symbol, Epic said.

Epic also encouraged players to express their displeasure with Apple on Twitter using the #FreeFortnite hashtag.

Fortnite players on Apple mobile devices won't be able to access a new season of the game, set to launch August 27 with a software update, because the app has been removed from Apple's App Store.

"These are the final days of the entire Fortnite community's ability to play together," Epic said.

The company filed a lawsuit against Apple last week after the iPhone maker took Fortnite off its App Store for releasing an update that dodges revenue sharing.

The latest version contains a payment system that lets player transactions bypass the App Store, preventing Cupertino-based Apple from collecting its typical 30 percent cut.

- Self-inflicted wound? -

Epic has asked a judge to make Apple put Fortnite back in the App Store until the matter is resolved in court.

Apple on Friday voiced its opposition to such an emergency order, arguing in a legal filing that Epic's situation is a "self-inflicted wound" that could be remedied by updating Fortnite to stop bypassing the App Store payment system.

"Epic made a deliberate choice to cheat Apple," it said.

"Having decided that it would rather enjoy the benefits of the App Store without paying for them, Epic has breached its contracts with Apple, using its own customers and Apple's users as leverage."

Epic has executed a carefully orchestrated campaign, complete with a parody video, merchandise, hashtag, belligerent tweets and legal action, Apple contended.

Apple does not allow users of its popular devices to download apps from anywhere but its App Store, prompting critics to argue it wields monopoly power.

The tech giant has also notified Epic it will cut off access to tools needed to tailor software for devices powered by its operating systems, according to a request by the game maker for a temporary restraining order.

Without those tools, Epic will not be able to create iPhone, iPad or Mac computer versions of its widely used Unreal Engine for powering rich graphics.

Gamers can still play Fortnite on Apple mobile devices, but will not receive updates because those need to come through the App Store.

Epic reminded players they can access the latest versions of Fortnite on personal computers, video game consoles and Android-powered mobile devices.

It is giving away 1,200 pieces of gaming hardware as prizes in the Sunday tournament.

"Just because you can't play on iOS doesn't mean there aren't other awesome places to play Fortnite," Epic told fans.


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New Flight Simulator game takes off with French studio in cockpit
Bordeaux (AFP) Aug 18, 2020
Many aircraft are still grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic, but would-be and real pilots took to the virtual skies on Tuesday with a cutting-edge update of Microsoft's venerable Flight Simulator game. The bestselling title dates all the way back to 1982 - when home computers had less processing power than a graphics card today - and Microsoft tasked French developers Asobo Studio with giving it the first overhaul since 2006. Two of Asobo's co-founders even took flying lessons over the pa ... read more

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