Epic Games can claim a small but potentially important interim victory in its battle with Apple: the Fortnite development studio has according to his own statements get back the developer access necessary to build your own app store on iOS as part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Apple had previously agreed to reopen access following complaints from Epic Games. Apparently, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, among others, had previously taken care of the matter.
“I note with satisfaction that, following our contacts, Apple has decided to reverse its decision to exclude Epic”writes Breton on platform X.
His colleague, Margrethe Vestager, who is responsible for digital, celebrates the release also on X: “Let the games begin!” – obviously a reference to Fortnite.
Apple blocked an important Swedish developer entry from Epic Games on March 6, 2024 on the grounds that company boss Tim Sweeney, among other things a post on X said about the DMA in a way that indicated it could not be trusted.
Waiting for the Fortnite app store
Back in 2020, Apple blocked developer access from Epic Games that was required for iOS and then released it again a little later. The background to the dispute is that Epic Games, among other things, does not agree with the high commissions (30 percent) in the App Store and tried to establish its own payment system bypassing Apple.
Video: Fortnite – Trailer (Apple 1984)
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It is expected that Epic Games will now quickly publish its own app store for games on iOS, which is possible once the DMA comes into force. However, Apple is trying to make this as difficult as possible using various means, which has not only been criticized by Epic Games.