Epic Video games explained on Monday it was searching for to block Apple Inc’s removal of “Fortnite” from its app retail outlet and has requested a judge to protect against any retaliatory action from its other games in the keep.

In its filing, Epic Chief Government Timothy Sweeney explained “Fortnite” experienced 350 million registered end users as of June 2020, but that Apple’s move will cease them from having the updates required to participate in the game’s most well known mode – a “Battle Royale” match of up 100 players where by the final survivor wins.

“Apple’s steps will ‘break’ Fortnite for tens of millions of existing players,” Sweeney wrote, declaring Epic updates the activity each couple of months. “Because iOS buyers can no extended update the activity, they will be unable to participate in Fortnite with most other players, who will have the then-latest version available on other platforms” these types of as PCs.

The videogame maker also stated Apple will terminate all of Epic Games’ developer accounts and reduce it off from its development resources starting up Aug. 28.

In addition to generating its very own titles, Epic also helps make equipment for other match developers these types of as the Unreal Engine, which helps match developers build 3-dimensional graphics. The resource is also used by healthcare imaging firms and car or truck designers and is employed by thousands and thousands of developers, Epic explained.

In its filing, Epic alleged that if Apple cuts off its accessibility to Apple’s developers, it will be not able to preserve providing the Unreal Engine for Mac and Apple iphone functioning devices, which would in transform affect hundreds of sport titles. Some of the game titles, these as PUBG, have hundreds of hundreds of thousands of players, Epic wrote in its submitting.

“The outcomes will reverberate effectively beyond movie video games it will have an impact on developers who use the Unreal Motor on Apple items in quite a few fields,” Epic claimed in its submitting inquiring the courtroom to difficulty an buy blocking Apple’s shift. “The ensuing impression on the Unreal Engine’s viability, and the have confidence in and self-assurance developers have in that motor, are unable to be repaired with a monetary award.”

Apple has in the previous labored intently with Epic to make Unreal Engine operate far better on its devices. In 2018, for case in point, Apple shown how Unreal Engine labored with its newest augmented actuality equipment at its yearly developer meeting. Following Epic’s transfer to provide immediate payments, Apple threatened to stop that collaboration, in accordance to documents submitted by Epic in the lawsuit.

Apple did not return a request for remark.

Apple before taken off “Fortnite” from its application retailer for violating in-app payment tips prompting Epic to file federal lawsuits complicated the rule.

Epic rolled out a social media marketing campaign with the hashtag #FreeFortnite, urging gamers to seek out refunds from Apple if they get rid of accessibility to the video game, and producing a parody of Apple’s well-known “1984” tv advert.

(Reporting by Neha Malara in Bengaluru and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco Modifying by Shounak Dasgupta and Lisa Shumaker)