Fortnite developer Epic Games will be required to pay Apple’s legal fees, a sum that has mounted to a whopping $73 million, which could have been more had the California-based giant not been given a discount. The legal battle between the two firms, which lasted for three years, finally concluded on January 16, with neither company coming out as the victor because the court decided not to hear appeals from either party. However, Apple appears to have gotten the last laugh, as Epic Games now has a nice chunk of change to pay out.
Apple only gave a discount to Epic Games on the legal fees because the latter prevailed in 1 out of 10 cases
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that, in total, Epic Games owes Apple $73,404,326 in court fees, according to the data posted by gamesfray on X. It was reported that Apple spent around $82,971,401 in legal bills, though the total amount has been adjusted to $81,560,362 due to undisclosed reasons. It would make sense for Epic Games to pay a higher amount, but a discount was offered because the game publisher actually won 1 of its 10 counts.
Still, months and months of court hearings, wave after wave of cases, would encourage Epic Games that it could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was not to be. Keep in mind that the $73 million legal fee figure is yet to be finalized because the court has set a ‘Notice of Motion’ for March 24, 2024, for a hearing regarding the total amount. Furthermore, whatever Apple incurs during the ongoing litigation under the indemnification provision of the Developer Program License Agreement will likely have to be covered by Epic Games.
#Apple wants #EpicGames to reimburse $73 MILLION AND COUNTING (the dispute isn't over yet) in litigation expenses. Apple says it's spent $82,971,401 defending against that case, adjusts it to $81,560,362, then deducts 10% as Epic prevailed on 1 of 10 counts ➡️ $73,404,326.
🧵1/4 pic.twitter.com/0Qwa3yA6es
— games fray (@games_fray) January 17, 2024
Epic Games might have come out swinging, but the outcome was not a favorable one by any stretch, giving Apple immense leverage as it now has the opportunity to make an example out of the company that attempted to modify its App Store rules to obtain a monetary advantage. In the end, Fortnite is yet to be re-listed on the App Store, and there is a possibility that it will never find a place there. On top of that, a game publisher has been slapped with a massive bill.
News Source: gamesfray
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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