Epic Games had its Apple developer account revoked just as Apple allowed for alternative app stores on iOS in the European Union as required by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This development has prompted EU regulators to investigate Apple’s decision to terminate Epic’s developer account. The European Commission confirmed that an investigation is ongoing under the DMA, requiring Apple to provide details on its actions and reasons for closing Epic Games’ developer account.
Apple and Epic Games have a complicated history dating back over a decade when Unreal Engine 3 made its debut on mobile for iOS in 2010. Epic and its subsidiaries have developed popular iOS games like the Infinity Blade series and Apple Arcade titles, with the main point of contention being the game Fortnite.
The clash between Apple and Epic Games began in 2020 over Fortnite, when Apple removed the game from the App Store for violating its policies and circumventing Apple’s payment system. This led to a legal battle, with the US court ultimately ruling in Apple’s favor, although it did result in Apple allowing alternative in-app payments. The impact of the EU probe on Epic’s ability to reintroduce Fortnite on iOS remains to be seen, and we will provide updates as they unfold.
