Apple will reinstate Epic Games’ developer account, according to a blog post update from the Fortnite developer, just days after terminating it over a licensing agreement dispute that would have prevented Fortnite from being available on the App Store in Europe, in the latest regulatory tussle between the two companies.
Apple terminated the developer account Wednesday. (Photo by Arda Kucukkaya/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- Epic Games said in the post it was informed Apple has committed to the European Commission that it will reinstate its developer account after the governmental body opened an inquiry into the matter, allowing Epic to bring the Epic Games Store (its own video game store) and Fortnite to iOS in Europe.
- Epic said the decision sends a signal to developers that the Commission will “act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable.”
- The reinstatement decision from Apple comes two days after it said Epic Games was “verifiably untrustworthy” and wouldn’t adhere to its developer licensing agreement, adding its own “contractual right” to terminate its developer agreement with Epic Games.
- Epic Games claimed Apple violated the European Union’s Digital Marketing Act and was “taking out one of the largest competitors” to its app store while “showing other developers what happens when you try to compete with Apple.”
Crucial Quote
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney characterized the reinstatement of the company’s developer account as a “big win for European rule of law, for the European Commission, and for the freedom of developers worldwide to speak up” in a tweet Friday.
Key Background
Epic Games and Apple have been engaged in legal disputes regarding the video game company’s standing in the iOS App Store for years. Epic Games sued Apple in 2020, alleging it was running a monopoly by banning third-party apps, such as the Epic Games Store, from its devices. The Epic Games Store is an online storefront that lets users purchase games from a range of developers. A U.S. federal judge found Apple was within its rights to prohibit third-party app marketplaces and charge 30% commission on transactions on the iOS App Store. This year, Apple began conforming to a court order allowing app developers to link to payment methods outside the iOS system. The change allows developers to curb Apple’s 30% commission fee, but will still see Apple charge up to 27% commission on each purchase, according to The Verge.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
