American multinational tech major Apple has ended its long-standing feud with Epic Games, allowing the return of Fortnite and the launch of Epic’s game store on iOS devices in Europe. This decision came under the weight of the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) enforcement by the European Union.
“Apple has told us and committed to the European Commission that they will reinstate our developer account. This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable,” Epic Games updated in a blog. “We are moving forward as planned to launch the Epic Games Store and bring Fortnite back to iOS in Europe. Onward!”
To recall, last week, Apple revoked Epic’s developer account, essentially blocking the return of its famous game Fortnite to iOS in Europe. The move was rather surprising as last month Apple approved Epic Games Sweden AB developer account, which would have allowed the gaming company to bring back its famous game Fortnite to iOS in the European Union through DMA.
This termination of Epic’s developer account attracted criticism with EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton urging the concerned authorities to look into the matter as a “priority.”
🚨🍎
I take note with satisfaction that following our contacts Apple decided to backtrack its decision on Epic exclusion.
From Day 2, #DMA is already showing very concrete results!#FreeFortnite ⤵️https://t.co/LKbZNd2htb https://t.co/UqMSDgem7m
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 8, 2024
Following Epic’s reinstatement, Breton highlighted the swift impact of the DMA, expressing satisfaction over Apple’s decision to reverse its stance on Epic’s exclusion. “I take note with satisfaction that following our contacts Apple decided to backtrack its decision on Epic exclusion. From Day 2, #DMA is already showing very concrete results!,” he wrote on social media platform X.
The conflict stems from a long-standing feud. In 2020, Epic challenged Apple’s practice of charging up to 30% commission on in-app purchases, alleging it violated antitrust laws. Epic lost the court battle but gained notoriety when it intentionally defied Apple’s rules, leading to Fortnite’s removal from the App Store.
The breakthrough came after the European Union’s imposition of the DMA, which aims to dismantle the monopolistic control over app distribution by major tech companies like Apple and Google. The DMA mandates that these corporations cannot restrict which apps are distributed on devices running iOS or Android operating systems.
While the latest reinstatement marks a significant victory for Epic in Europe, the battle continues elsewhere. Fortnite remains unavailable in the US App Store, and Epic’s fight against Apple’s app store dominance persists globally.
