Apple Demanding for $73.4 Million in Legal Fees from Epic Games

Following its victory in the anti-trust lawsuit against Epic Games, Apple has requested the Court to order Epic Games to pay $73.4 million in litigation costs. Apple claims it faced substantial expenses defending against the groundless lawsuit, which accused the tech giant of employing illegally restrictive practices in its Apple App Store. This legal conflict has been active since August 2020.

In the various phases of this ongoing legal battle, Apple has consistently succeeded in all aspects, except for one issue related to its “anti-steering” policy. Promptly addressing this issue, Apple introduced a corrective measure on Tuesday.

Apple is now seeking to recoup its considerable legal expenses by suing Epic. Apple is demanding $73,404,326, a figure meticulously calculated by summing its legal costs in the case, initially $82,971,401. After adjustments, the total was $81,560,362.

Moreover, to account for Epic’s victory on one out of ten claims regarding Apple’s “anti-steering” rule, 10% was deducted from this amount. This aspect adds a new twist to the ongoing legal tussle between Apple and Epic.

Post-litigation, Apple has altered its policy, now allowing developers targeting American users to add buttons and links in their apps that direct users to external websites for entering credit card information. This marks a significant policy change, as such practices were previously prohibited.

Previously, in-app purchases and game currencies on the Apple platform had to be billed through Apple, incurring a 15%-30% fee. Additionally, developers were barred from informing users about potential lower prices available on other websites.