Epic Games Apple
Epic Games announced earlier that Apple has finally restored its iOS developer account in the EU. This means that Epic will be able to sell the game for iOS devices again this year, allowing “Fortress Heroes” to return to the iOS platform after many years of absence. The company revealed in January that it would be bringing the Game Store and Fortress Heroes back to iOS, but it wasn’t clear at the time whether Apple would reinstate its developer account — which would make it easier after all. Launch games and content on various Apple platforms.
Apple’s 180-degree turn is ultimately due to the European Union’s “Digital Markets Act (DMA)” that will officially take effect on March 7. The bill designates large services such as Apple’s App Store as “gatekeepers” and requires them to maintain interoperability with platforms they must compete with in order to be compliant. In the case of Epic and Apple, the DMA will allow all developers to accept payments and distribute iOS apps outside of the official App Store. Apps sold on third-party platforms still need to go through Apple’s notarization process and approval to ensure that potentially harmful content can be discovered and removed.
Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We’ll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) January 25, 2024
Apple has been at odds with Epic ever since Epic started using its own payment option in the iOS version of Fortress Heroes. After using its own payment processing system, Epic will no longer need to pay the 30% “Apple tax” on various cosmetic decorations and power-ups sold to “Fortress Heroes” players. In 2020, Apple took the lead and removed “Fortress Heroes” from the App Store. Epic immediately sued Apple, triggering a legal battle in the United States over whether Apple’s exclusive platform violated competitiveness. Apple also terminated Epic Games’ developer account at that time.
Here in the United States, a judge recently issued a permanent injunction allowing developers to avoid paying Apple’s 30% tax. However, the details of the injunction did not satisfy either party – Apple was not happy about being forced to allow third-party payment options on its platform; while Epic was unhappy with some of the wording used in the injunction. The judgment ruled that Apple does not have a monopoly in the field of mobile games and does not violate antitrust laws. Not only that, Apple is also allowed to design a fee structure to persuade developers not to use third-party payment options. Therefore, it is generally believed that the ruling cannot reduce the current situation of Apple’s 30% share of App Store sales. Both companies appealed the decision, and California’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s ruling. The companies then took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear it. This is the current situation in the United States.
At the same time, the European Union passed the aforementioned “Digital Market Law”, forcing Apple to open the use of third-party stores on iOS devices. The two companies have not previously had a lawsuit in Europe, so the EU will be able to play “Fortress Heroes” again before the United States. For the time being, if the United States wants to play “Fortress Heroes” on mobile devices, it can only rely on Xbox cloud games or GeForce Now.
All in all, the relationship between the two companies should be able to ease slightly. In particular, Disney recently spent $1.5 billion to purchase a stake in Epic Games.consideringApple and Disney have always had a close relationshipmaybe this can provide a little buffer between the two.
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