Epic Games, the developer of the popular battle royale game 'Fortnite'&nbsp;has announced it will be laying off about 900 employees or 16 per cent of its workforce as the gaming industry goes through a downturn.&nbsp;

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney in a memo to the employees on Thursday (Sep 28)&nbsp;said it was 'unrealistic' for the company to move forward without downsizing.&nbsp;

“For a while now, we’ve been spending way more money than we earn, investing in the next evolution of Epic and growing Fortnite as a metaverse-inspired ecosystem for creators,” Sweeney wrote.&nbsp;

“I had long been optimistic that we could power through this transition without layoffs, but in retrospect I see that this was unrealistic.”

Sweeney mentioned that the company was cutting costs but without breaking development or the core lines of businesses. He added about two-thirds of the layoffs were in teams that are outside of core development.&nbsp;

The terminated&nbsp;employees will be offered a severance package that includes&nbsp;six months base pay and in the US/Canada/Brazil six months of Epic-paid healthcare.&nbsp;

"We’re offering to accelerate people’s stock option vesting schedule through the end of 2024 and are giving two additional years from today to exercise the options. In the US we’re also offering to vest any unearned profit sharing from their 401k."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-to-claim-your-fortnite-refund-638849">Watch |&nbsp;How to claim your Fortnite refund</a>

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<h2>What else apart from downsizing?</h2>

The company is now expected to focus its resources on shipping its must-succeed initiatives: the&nbsp;next Fortnite season and Fortnite Chapter 5, Del Mar, Sparks, and Juno.&nbsp;

Apart from the downsizing, the company is also divesting Bandcamp - an online audio platform it acquired last year. Additionally, the company will be spinning off most of SuperAwesome, a kid-safe technology developer that it acquired in 2020.&nbsp;

"Bandcamp is joining Songtradr, a music marketplace company supporting artists. SuperAwesome’s advertising business will become an independent company under the SuperAwesome brand, led by their current CEO Kate O’Loughlin. Kids Web Services (KWS), the parent verification and consent management toolset, will remain part of Epic."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-allows-parents-to-claim-refunds-for-purchases-made-by-children-on-fortnite-638148">Also read |&nbsp;US allows parents to claim refunds for purchases made by children on Fortnite</a>

The layoffs come at a time when Epic has been involved in a legal battle with Apple since 2020. The gaming firm alleges that&nbsp;Apple's practice of charging up to 30 per cent&nbsp; commissions on in-app payments on iPhones and other devices violates US antitrust rules.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Epic Games, the developer of the popular battle royale game 'Fortnite' has announced it will be laying off about 900 employees or 16 per cent of its workforce as the gaming industry goes through a downturn.

Epic Games, the developer of the popular battle royale game 'Fortnite' has announced it will be laying off about 900 employees or 16 per cent of its workforce as the gaming industry goes through a downturn. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney in a memo to the employees on Thursday (Sep 28) said it was 'unrealistic' for the company to move forward without downsizing. “For a while now, we’ve been spending way more money than we earn, investing in the next evolution of Epic and growing Fortnite as a metaverse-inspired ecosystem for creators,” Sweeney wrote. “I had long been optimistic that we could power through this transition without layoffs, but in retrospect I see that this was unrealistic.” Sweeney mentioned that the company was cutting costs but without breaking development or the core lines of businesses. He added about two-thirds of the layoffs were in teams that are outside of core development. The terminated employees will be offered a severance package that includes six months base pay and in the US/Canada/Brazil six months of Epic-paid healthcare. "We’re offering to accelerate people’s stock option vesting schedule through the end of 2024 and are giving two additional years from today to exercise the options. In the US we’re also offering to vest any unearned profit sharing from their 401k." Watch | How to claim your Fortnite refund × What else apart from downsizing? The company is now expected to focus its resources on shipping its must-succeed initiatives: the next Fortnite season and Fortnite Chapter 5, Del Mar, Sparks, and Juno. Apart from the downsizing, the company is also divesting Bandcamp - an online audio platform it acquired last year. Additionally, the company will be spinning off most of SuperAwesome, a kid-safe technology developer that it acquired in 2020. "Bandcamp is joining Songtradr, a music marketplace company supporting artists. SuperAwesome’s advertising business will become an independent company under the SuperAwesome brand, led by their current CEO Kate O’Loughlin. Kids Web Services (KWS), the parent verification and consent management toolset, will remain part of Epic." Also read | US allows parents to claim refunds for purchases made by children on Fortnite The layoffs come at a time when Epic has been involved in a legal battle with Apple since 2020. The gaming firm alleges that Apple's practice of charging up to 30 per cent commissions on in-app payments on iPhones and other devices violates US antitrust rules. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Fortnite maker Epic Games to lay off nearly 900 employees

In the recent legal war between Apple Inc and 'Fortnite' creator Epic Games, a federal judge has ruled against Apple's move to block Fortnite from Apple Store.

The ruling, that came out late on Monday, has safeguarded Epic Games' computer graphics software Unreal Engine, questioning Apple's commission fee.

“Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate against each other, but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders,” Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote in the ruling.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-says-fortnite-maker-wanted-side-letter-to-create-own-game-store-322405">Also read|&nbsp;Apple says 'Fortnite' maker wanted 'side letter' to create own game store</a>

The legal and social batlle started when Apple Inc blocked Fortnite from the App Store, and the distribution of Unreal Engine claiming accusing Epic Games of not following the regulations set by Apple regarding the in-game purchases. The gaming company was accused as it allegedly used its own method of&nbsp;in-game purchases in the new update of teh popular "Fortnite" game, instead of stickng to the Apple's system of charging commission, through which Apple charges 15-30 per cent.

Epic Games had asked Apple, through legal actions and social media campaigns,&nbsp;to reverse its actions and unblock the game and the Unreal Engine. Apple was accused of engaging in anticompetitive behaviour and abusing the tech giant's dominance in the market.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/one-bad-apple-freefortnite-tournament-takes-a-dig-at-apple-322317">Also read|&nbsp;'One bad apple': #FreeFortnite tournament takes a dig at Apple</a>

The federal judge, too, raised a similar question on the set commission fee. “The question is, without competition, where does the 30% (App Store commission) come from? Why isn’t it 10? 20? How is the consumer benefiting?” she asked.

However,&nbsp;Apple counsel Richard Doren used&nbsp;Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook's argument and explained that the consumers have a choice of buying an Android or an iOS phone and therefore it is “the competition is in the foremarket."

Rogers continued the argument stting that there was “plenty of economic theory” to show that switching brands imposed costs on consumers. However, Diren, who was at one point muted by the Judge, said he can prove that&nbsp;“people switch all the time”.

The two companies have been at each other's hit-list for the last few months now due to the commission war. Fortnite has appealed to its users through social media posts, YouTube videos and a champiosnhip with hashtag og #FreeFortnite.

In the recent legal war between Apple Inc and 'Fortnite' creator Epic Games, a federal judge has ruled against Apple's move to block Fortnite from Apple Store. The ruling, that came out late on Monday, has safeguarded Epic Games' computer graphics software Unreal Engine, questioning Apple's commission fee.

In the recent legal war between Apple Inc and 'Fortnite' creator Epic Games, a federal judge has ruled against Apple's move to block Fortnite from Apple Store. The ruling, that came out late on Monday, has safeguarded Epic Games' computer graphics software Unreal Engine, questioning Apple's commission fee. “Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate against each other, but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders,” Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote in the ruling. Also read| Apple says 'Fortnite' maker wanted 'side letter' to create own game store The legal and social batlle started when Apple Inc blocked Fortnite from the App Store, and the distribution of Unreal Engine claiming accusing Epic Games of not following the regulations set by Apple regarding the in-game purchases. The gaming company was accused as it allegedly used its own method of in-game purchases in the new update of teh popular "Fortnite" game, instead of stickng to the Apple's system of charging commission, through which Apple charges 15-30 per cent. Epic Games had asked Apple, through legal actions and social media campaigns, to reverse its actions and unblock the game and the Unreal Engine. Apple was accused of engaging in anticompetitive behaviour and abusing the tech giant's dominance in the market. Also read| 'One bad apple': #FreeFortnite tournament takes a dig at Apple The federal judge, too, raised a similar question on the set commission fee. “The question is, without competition, where does the 30% (App Store commission) come from? Why isn’t it 10? 20? How is the consumer benefiting?” she asked. However, Apple counsel Richard Doren used Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook's argument and explained that the consumers have a choice of buying an Android or an iOS phone and therefore it is “the competition is in the foremarket." Rogers continued the argument stting that there was “plenty of economic theory” to show that switching brands imposed costs on consumers. However, Diren, who was at one point muted by the Judge, said he can prove that “people switch all the time”. The two companies have been at each other's hit-list for the last few months now due to the commission war. Fortnite has appealed to its users through social media posts, YouTube videos and a champiosnhip with hashtag og #FreeFortnite.

Judge rules against Apple's decision to block Epic's Unreal Engine

Fortnite maker Epic Games has used a famous Apple advertisement against the iPhone maker in a social media campaign accompanying a legal battle it launched on Thursday. Epic's 'Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite', shows. 
 
A colorful female Fortnite fighter running through a black-and-white corridor and hurling a unicorn-shaped club against a screen showing an Apple-headed character talking about its control of the system. The Apple character features a worm sticking out of a bite mark that resembles Apple`s corporate logo and frameless spectacles similar to those worn by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook in his official photograph on the iPhone maker`s website. 
 
Apple Inc earlier in the day removed 'Fortnite'&nbsp;from its App Store for violating the company's in-app payment guidelines, prompting developer Epic to file a lawsuit seeking to end Apple`s in-app payment practices. The Fortnite video, watched nearly half a million times on YouTube within hours of its launch, is a parody of Apple's own '1984' commercial,&nbsp;which launched the Macintosh computer, styled as a threat to the personal computer of the day 
 
Apple's hero made a similar run, to throw a sledge hammer in protest against a totalitarian leader. The commercial, considered a classic, promised viewers "1984 won't be like 1984", the dystopian novel by George Orwell. At the time, Apple was a tiny challenger in the computer market, but on Thursday Epic's video described the game maker as "defying the App Store Monopoly". The video enthused thousands of commenters on YouTube. "The war is on," wrote one.

Fortnite maker Epic Games has used a famous Apple advertisement against the iPhone maker in a social media campaign accompanying a legal battle it launched on Thursday.

Fortnite maker Epic Games has used a famous Apple advertisement against the iPhone maker in a social media campaign accompanying a legal battle it launched on Thursday. Epic's 'Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite', shows. A colorful female Fortnite fighter running through a black-and-white corridor and hurling a unicorn-shaped club against a screen showing an Apple-headed character talking about its control of the system. The Apple character features a worm sticking out of a bite mark that resembles Apple`s corporate logo and frameless spectacles similar to those worn by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook in his official photograph on the iPhone maker`s website. Apple Inc earlier in the day removed 'Fortnite' from its App Store for violating the company's in-app payment guidelines, prompting developer Epic to file a lawsuit seeking to end Apple`s in-app payment practices. The Fortnite video, watched nearly half a million times on YouTube within hours of its launch, is a parody of Apple's own '1984' commercial, which launched the Macintosh computer, styled as a threat to the personal computer of the day Apple's hero made a similar run, to throw a sledge hammer in protest against a totalitarian leader. The commercial, considered a classic, promised viewers "1984 won't be like 1984", the dystopian novel by George Orwell. At the time, Apple was a tiny challenger in the computer market, but on Thursday Epic's video described the game maker as "defying the App Store Monopoly". The video enthused thousands of commenters on YouTube. "The war is on," wrote one.

Apple's famous '1984' video parodied by Fortnite game maker