Back in February Patently Apple posted a report titled "In the Opening Keynote at the DICE Gaming Event last week, Epic Games CEO blasted Google & Apple for Monopolistic Practices." During the antitrust hearing in late July Sweeney was on Bloomberg TV repeating his disdain for the App Store and Google Play. You could be sure that he provided the antitrust committee with testimony on that same note.

Back inIn July, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on "Squawk Alley" that the Apple App Store is an "absolute monopoly" and Google’s control of Android "essentially stifles competing stores."

Today, Epic Games struck back at Apple and Google's App Stores. Fortnite maker Epic Games announced new payment options that will allow their customers to buy in-game credits direct from Epic Games on both Android and iPhone.

The direct payment option to Epic appears to skirt Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store rules, which require Epic to give those firms a 30% cut of revenue made through the app.

Epic is supposedly passing on up to 20% discount to gamers and keeping the rest for themselves. The user interfaces of the new payment system are presented below.

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Epic games further noted today that the discounts will extend to  every purchase on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, and on mobile when using select payment methods.

The Fortnite Team were glad to announce that "This isn’t a sale… these are new discount prices available anytime! We’re excited to pass along these savings to you and will continue to look for additional ways to bring value to all Fortnite players. Here’s how to snag your savings." The team added that "If Apple or Google lower their fees on payments in the future, Epic will pass along the savings to you."

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Epic direct pay is supporting many countries and the list will grow. Visit their supported countries and currencies page for iOS players and Android players using the Google Play Store.

Whether Apple will take legal action against Epic Games on this move is unknown at this time. Epic Games is banking that while Apple is under investigation by both the U.S. and EU antitrust bodies, Apple won't want to overreact. Time will tell if this gamble will pay off without a lawsuit or being dropped by the App Store.