Epic Games Challenges Apple, Google Stores With Direct Payment

(Bloomberg) -- Epic Games said Thursday it’s giving users a new way to directly make in-app purchases from Epic, instead of paying through the Apple and Google app stores.

The announcement comes amid tension between the Fortnite creator and Apple and Google over their app store fees.

Epic has said the 30% revenue cut the two companies take from paid apps is excessively high. Tim Sweeney, the chief executive officer of Epic Games, called the two companies a “duopoly” in an interview with Bloomberg Television in July.

Sweeney said then that the solution would be to separate different services that the tech companies offer, including payments. With the new option, Epic will be able to avoid that 30% fee.

To encourage customers to use its direct payment service, Epic is offering discounts of as much as 20% compared with the prices listed on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. “If Apple or Google lower their fees on payments in the future, Epic will pass along the savings to you,” Epic said.

Neither Apple nor Google responded immediately to a request for comment.

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