Last week, Apple blocked Epic Games’s developer account, but it has since relented. It marks a crucial step in Fortnite’s return to iPhones and iPads — at least for European players.
This is the latest chapter in a long-running saga that began in 2020. Fortnite was removed from the App Store after its maker Epic Games attempted to circumvent Apple’s payments system.
Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney said on X, formerly Twitter, that Apple backed down “following a swift inquiry by the European Commission“.
European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton welcomed the move, saying on X: “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!” Breton said.
The DMA is the Digital Markets Act. This is forcing Apple to loosen its grip on its ecosystem by setting new rules for what the act defines as digital “gatekeepers” — including Apple.
It determines third parties should be able to maintain alternative app stores on platforms such as iOS.
Failing to comply can result in fines of up to 10 per cent of a company’s global annual turnover — or up to 20 per cent in cases of “repeated infringement” — according to the European Commission website.
Apple’s earnings figures for 2023 suggest fines could be up to $35 billion (£27bn).
Apple has recently received a fine from the European Commission, on a smaller but still substantial scale. It was fined 1.84bn euros (£1.57bn) for suppressing competition in its Apple Music streaming service. Apple plans to appeal against the fine.
Apple’s initial move to ban Epic Games’s developer account was based on the idea it is an untrustworthy partner. However, this latest backtrack allows the Fortnite publisher to begin working on its own iPhone app store.
There’s already a clue as to what this may look like, as Epic Games has a custom storefront for Android, the Epic Games app.
The bad news for UK Fortnite fans is this app will be available to only European players when it does arrive. The UK and US are out of the jurisdiction of the European Commission, meaning Apple is under no obligation to let Epic Games maintain its app store on iPhones here.
