Epic Games takes jab at Apple with new in-game Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short

Epic Games and Apple's feud reaches a new height with a short that mocks a classic Apple ad.

August 13, 2020 2:50 PM

In just a couple of hours, the situation between Apple and Epic Games went from a terms of service violation to a full blown legal feud right in the public eye. After Epic slashed microtransaction prices and added a direct payment feature to the Fortnite mobile app, Apple removed the game from the App Store and blocked it from receiving new updates. Epic Games has released a short that takes direct aim at Apple.

Titled Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite, the new short was shown in-game at Fortnite’s Party Royale. The ad is a clear spoof on the 1984 Macintosh ad that references the George Orwell novel that debuted decades ago. The original ad envisions Apple as the underdog railing against the oppressive cooperation. Epic Games’ Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short sees Epic Games looking to dismantle Apple’s monopoly.

The video below is the original Macintosh ad released by Apple back in 1984.

We originally reported on Epic Games’ move to circumvent Apple’s App Store fees in the early hours of August 13. Shortly after, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and blocked it from receiving new updates. It only took a few hours for the matter to escalate into a full-blown feud right in the public eye. Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Apple, which can be read in full here.

This was clearly a calculated move by Epic Games. After prompting Apple to remove their game from the iOS App Store, Epic Games had a short film and lawsuit ready to go.

The situation between Apple and Epic Games is one that could not only have an enormous impact on the gaming industry, but the tech industry at-large. We’re far from a resolution here, but you can expect to see the latest updates on the story right here on Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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