Apple has removed Fortnite from its App Store, preventing players from installing one of the world’s most popular games on iPhones.

It came after a Fortnite update that let players buy in-game currency at a lower rate if they bought direct from maker Epic Games – bypassing Apple.

Epic appeared to know the ban would come, announcing it had filed a legal complaint minutes after the removal.

Apple takes a standard 30% cut of sales from its compulsory payment system.

Hours later, Google also appeared to remove the app from its Google Play Store – though it remains available on Android phones through other means, such as Epic Games’ launcher.

On iOS, the App Store is the only way to load apps legitimately. But Apple said Epic had taken the “unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines.”

Those guidelines ban any payment system apart from Apple’s own and has been the subject of several high-profile rows between developers and Apple.