Epic's Apple Blame Game Continues As It Terminates Fortnite: Save The World On MacOS
As the rivalry between Apple and Epic Games continues, more effects are starting to be seen. Epic Games this week reported that they would be ending support for and refunding purchases of Fortnite: Save the World on macOS.
According to Epic Games, Apple is preventing them from providing updates to games on Mac. Epic’s “upcoming v14.20 release will cause bugs for players on v13.40, resulting in a very poor experience” which led them to make the game unplayable after September 23rd. This does not come as a surprise, however, as it falls in line with iOS ban of Epic Games following the lawsuits against Apple.
What does come as a surprise, though, it how Epic is handling the disabling of the original game mode which started Fortnite. The Fortnite team said that they are “are issuing a refund for all players who purchased any Save the World Founder’s or Starter Packs (including Upgrades) and played Save the World on macOS between September 17, 2019 and September 17, 2020.” On top of this, the purchase Llamas with thein game currency, V-Bucks, would be refunded as well. All players must do to receive a refund is just wait until October 2nd to see a refund in their accounts. This is an easy, yet not cheap, way for Epic Games to garner sympathy from players.
Epic Games is also taking the opportunity to sway users from the Apple ecosystem who were dedicated to Fortnite. While Fortnite: Battle Royale still exists on Mac, you can play Save the World on any other platform as they have implemented cross-progression which transfers “Heroes, Schematics and everything else in your Homebase” so players will not have to do everything over again.
Amid the chaos, the Fortnite creators seem to be handling everything in a mostly professional way compared to Apple who has thrown vague threats and insults toward Epic Games in public and in court documents. Overall, this is quite a back and forth situation where Apple and Epic are repeatedly tit for tat, but with this, Epic seems to have taken the high road.
