Apple responds to the judge's temporary order in the lawsuit against Epic Games

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Fortnite Hands On Hero
Fortnite Hands On Hero (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a temporary order in the Epic vs. Apple case.
  • The Judge ruled that Apple can continue banning Fortnite from the App Store until Epic complies.
  • However, Apple cannot block development and distribution of the Unreal Engine.
  • Apple has issued a response to the temporary order.

In the Epic vs. Apple case, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has issued a temporary relief order. According to Bloomberg, the order is that Epic Games is not granted relief to get Fortnite back on the App Store, but she is also ordering Apple to not block the development and distribution of Unreal Engine. Apple has issued a response to the judge's temporary order.

"We thank the court for recognizing that Epic's problem is entirely self-inflicted and is in their power to resolve. Our very first priority is making sure App Store users have a great experience in a safe and trusted environment, including iPhone users who play Fortnite and who are looking forward to the game's next season. We agree with Judge Gonzalez-Rogers that 'the sensible way to proceed' is for Epic to comply with the App Store guidelines and continue to operate while the case proceeds. If Epic takes the steps the judge has recommended, we will gladly welcome Fortnite back onto iOS. We look forward to making our case to the court in September."

This is one step forward in what is going to be a long trial between Apple and Epic Games. We think that the judge made the correct call — after all, blocking Unreal Engine would be detrimental to not just Epic, but all other developers who utilize it.

Christine Chan
Christine Chan

Christine Romero-Chan was formerly a Senior Editor for iMore. She has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently part of the Digital Trends team, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed. When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.