Apple kicks Fortnite out of App Store for challenging payment rules

Fortnite, the social shooter made by Epic Games, has been removed from the Apple App Store, the only way to install software on iPhones.

CNBC searched on the App Store in the U.S. on Thursday and did not find the game. It was previously available for download earlier in the day. App Store promotions about the game brought up a message that it “cannot connect to App Store.”

Fortnite was still available on Google’s Play Store on Thursday.

On Thursday, Epic Games challenged not only Apple but Google by introducing a new way to buy digital goods like character outfits and weapons at a discount.

Users who paid Epic Games directly would receive a 20% discount, versus users who paid through Apple’s App Store or Google Play, who would pay a higher amount. This practice is banned by both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has long criticized Apple for its control of the App Store. In July, he told CNBC that the store was an “absolute monopoly.” In April, in response to news that Apple allowed Amazon to use its own credit card processing in the Prime Video app, he called for “digital stores opening up to payment processing competition.” 

Apple’s App Store rules have been the focus of congressional scrutiny.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement to The Verge, a company spokesman said that “Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users.”

This story is developing.