Apple and Epic Games are mired in a bitter legal battle, and 'Fortnite' is in the middle of it. Here's how Apple found itself in Epic's crosshairs.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an announcement of new products at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California on June 4, 2018.AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

• On August 13, the wildly popular game "Fortnite" got an update on Apple and Android smartphones that allowed players to bypass the companies' digital payment systems and pay Epic Games directly.
• In response, Apple and Google pulled "Fortnite" from their digital storefronts and cited the update as a terms-of-service violation — which caused Epic to sue both companies.
• The game is outright unable to be downloaded through the Apple App Store, nor can it be updated, leaving iPhone and iPad players behind when the new "Fortnite" season premieres on August 27.
• Epic filed for a temporary restraining order against Apple that would put it back on the App Store and enable it to be updated, but a judge ruled partially in favor of Apple on Monday evening.
• But the case is far from over: Epic and Apple's legal battle is just beginning. Here's everything that led to the major legal battle between two tech titans.

"Fortnite" maker Epic Games and Apple are at the earliest stages of a heated legal battle, and there's already been one major casualty: "Fortnite" was kicked off the App Store on August 13, and it's not coming back anytime soon.

Worse, the game can't be updated. Anyone playing "Fortnite" on iPhone or iPad won't be able to play the game's next season, which starts on August 27, nor will they be able to play with friends on other platforms.

So, how'd things get here, where one of the world's biggest games is suddenly banished from Apple's main devices? From private emails between CEOs with major demands to a carefully manufactured anti-Apple public relations campaign, here's a closer look at the twisted path Epic and Apple walked to this legal showdown.