Epic Games, the company behind the popular Fortnite game, is suing Apple and Google in a US court after both removed the game from their app stores.

The tech giants said Epic had violated their rules by introducing a direct payment system for the games, avoiding paying fees.

In the filing, Epic accuses Apple of using anti-competitive restraints and monopolistic practices in relation to its App Store, which takes a cut of up to 30% from the sale and distribution of apps used on its devices.

'Behemoth'

“Apple has become what it once railed against: the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation,” Epic says. The company says it is not looking for any money from the tech firms.

Apple said Fortnite was removed because it had launched the payment feature with the "express intent of violating the App Store guidelines".

In June, the European Commission opened a formal investigation to examine whether Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violated EU competition rules. This followed a complaint from music streaming company Spotify.