Apple has reversed its decision to not allow Epic Games to have its own app store on IOS in Europe after facing scrutiny from European Union officials. The tech giant's change of heart came after the EU announced an investigation into the ban, as reported by CNN.
Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, has been engaged in a legal battle with both Google and Apple to circumvent their control over in-app purchases on their platforms. In 2020, both Google and Apple removed Fortnite from their online stores after Epic introduced a payment method for in-game currency that bypassed the platforms' in-app purchasing systems.
In response to Apple's decision to allow Fortnite back on IOS, Epic Games stated in a blog post that this move signals the European Commission's commitment to enforcing the Digital Markets Act and holding tech gatekeepers accountable. The Digital Markets Act, which recently became law in the European Union, aims to address the dominance of Big Tech companies and mandates that app store developers permit app downloads and purchases from third-party vendors.
Epic Games had previously accused Apple of violating the Digital Markets Act by removing its 'Epic Games Sweden AB' account, intended for launching the Epic Games Store on IOS. Apple reinstated the account following discussions with Epic and the latter's agreement to adhere to new EU-focused policies.
Meanwhile, Epic's legal battle with Google culminated in a trial in November 2023 in a San Francisco federal court over Google's digital payment processing system on the Google Play store. A jury ruled in favor of Epic, finding that Google had maintained an illegal monopoly with the Google Play store. Google plans to appeal the verdict, but if upheld by higher courts, Epic intends to establish its own app store and billing systems on Android.
Although Epic lost a similar lawsuit against Apple in 2021, a federal judge did rule in favor of allowing apps to offer links to alternative payment options, signaling a partial victory for Epic in its ongoing legal disputes with tech giants.
