Apple Terminates Epic Games’ Developer Account in Ongoing Fortnite-Epic Saga
The ongoing battle between tech giants Apple and Epic Games has taken a new twist as Apple announced the termination of Epic Games’ developer account. This move comes as a surprise, considering that Epic’s account was approved just last month, with the intention of bringing back the popular game Fortnite to iOS devices in the European Union. However, Apple’s decision to terminate the account has been met with strong criticism from Epic Games, who claim that it is a violation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and a clear indication that Apple is not interested in fostering true competition on iOS devices.
Epic Games, known for its outspoken criticism of Apple’s practices and its efforts to challenge the company’s dominance in the app economy, has been a thorn in Apple’s side for quite some time. The game developer has taken Apple to court over antitrust concerns and has been actively lobbying for regulations in various markets to curb Apple’s power and influence. It seems that Apple has finally had enough and would rather sever ties with Epic Games than continue to deal with their constant opposition.
According to Epic Games, one of the reasons provided by Apple to justify the termination was Epic’s criticism of Apple’s proposed DMA rules. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed his concerns about Apple’s practices. This, along with Epic’s history of breaching agreements with Apple, led Apple to conclude that Epic poses a threat to its ecosystem.
However, Epic Games maintains that it has been transparent about its intentions and has assured Apple in writing that it would comply with all the terms of its developer agreements. They even requested one of the DMA consultations offered by Apple to its App Store developers, initially denied but later granted. It was after agreeing to abide by Apple’s rules that Epic received a letter from Apple’s lawyers terminating their developer account.
In a letter dated February 23, 2024, Apple executive Phil Schiller reminded Epic Games of their past actions and criticized their “colorful criticism” of Apple’s practices. Schiller expressed concerns that Epic’s intentional breaches of rules could compromise the integrity, security, and privacy of the iOS platform. He questioned whether Epic could be trusted to follow the rules at this time.
It is worth noting that Epic Games has had contractual relationships with Apple since 2010, particularly for its Games, Unreal Engine, and other creator tools. Apple has also publicly supported Epic’s Unreal Engine. However, it seems that the relationship has reached a breaking point, with Apple exercising its right to terminate Epic’s account based on a judgment from September 2021, which stated that Apple has the contractual right to terminate its agreement with any of Epic Games’ subsidiaries or entities under its control.
Apple responded to Epic’s announcement by stating that Epic’s breach of contractual obligations justified their decision to terminate the account. They cited the September 2021 judgment as the basis for their action and emphasized that Epic’s past and ongoing behavior led them to exercise their right to terminate the account.
The termination of Epic Games’ developer account marks a significant development in the ongoing battle between Apple and Epic. It remains to be seen how this will impact the future of Fortnite on iOS devices and whether it will have broader implications for competition in the app economy. As both companies continue to clash, it is clear that the fight for fair competition and regulation in the tech industry is far from over.
Updated, 3/6/24, 12:44 p.m. ET with Apple’s statement