A major technology company retreats from a protracted dispute with a game developer following pressure from European regulatory authorities.
In response to regulatory pressure from Europe, Apple eased its stance in its conflict with Epic Games on Friday, thereby enabling Epic to reintroduce Fortnite and its proprietary game store on iPhones and iPads in Europe.
Just days prior, Apple had moved to prevent Epic from launching its store and reinstating the widely popular game, which Apple had removed from its App Store in 2020 due to Epic’s violation of the iPhone maker’s in-app payment policies during a protest.
Apple’s choice to welcome Epic comes after the EU’s deadline on Thursday for major tech firms to adhere to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This legislation prohibits Apple and Google from exercising control over the distribution of apps on devices utilizing the iOS and Android operating systems.
Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry chief, stated that regulators had cautioned Apple earlier this week regarding its decision to block Epic’s potential return.
“I am pleased to note that following our discussions, Apple has chosen to reverse its decision to exclude Epic. On the second day, #DMA is already yielding tangible results!” Breton announced on Twitter/X.
Epic and Apple have been embroiled in a legal dispute since 2020 when the gaming company alleged that Apple’s practice of charging commissions of up to 30% on in-app payments on iOS devices violated US antitrust regulations. Epic lost its legal battle against Apple, and the game developer’s bold move to intentionally violate Apple’s rules as a form of protest led to its removal from Apple’s devices.
Other critics of Apple, such as Spotify, which recently succeeded in persuading EU antitrust regulators to impose a €1.84bn ($2bn) fine for anticompetitive actions in the digital music market, have not been expelled from Apple’s app store despite not intentionally violating Apple’s rules.
Developer accounts are used as instruments in a broader conflict.
The latest confrontation between Apple and Epic centered around Apple’s developer accounts, typically a routine but essential administrative requirement for developers prior to selling apps on Apple devices.
On Friday, Apple restored Epic Games’s developer account, just two days after blocking the company from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe. The game developer confirmed its intention to proceed with plans to reintroduce the Epic Games store and Fortnite game on iOS devices in the continent.
“This sends a clear message to developers that the European Commission will swiftly enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable,” Epic Games added.
Earlier in the week, Apple stated that it had terminated Epic’s account due to doubts about the company’s willingness to comply with the new rules set out by Apple to adhere to the DMA.
“After discussions with Epic, they have committed to adhering to the rules, including our DMA policies. Consequently, Epic Sweden AB has been allowed to re-sign the developer agreement and has been reinstated into the Apple Developer Program,” Apple said in a statement.
