Online video game Fortnite gets kicked off Apple App Store after sidestepping payment system

Apple kicked the popular Fortnite video game off its App Store after the gaming company released a payment system that sidestepped Apple’s. Fortnite maker Epic Games released a feature that lets users choose how they want to pay for in-app purchases — either through the App Store or Play Store, or from Epic directly, which saves up to 20 percent.  Apple takes a cut of in-app sales — usually 30 percent — in a practice that has faced significant backlash from app developers. Apple CEO Tim Cook defended the cut in front of Congress in July when big tech executives were grilled over anticompetitive concerns. Epic Games chief executive Tim Sweeney criticized Apple for the practice earlier this summer. Apple said that it removed Fortnite from the store after Epic violated its guidelines.