Following significant backlash, Apple says it will reinstate Epic’s developer account.
In an update shared by Epic Games, the company says:
“Apple has told us and committed to the European Commission that they will reinstate our developer account. This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable. We are moving forward as planned to launch the Epic Games Store and bring Fortnite back to iOS in Europe.”
It’s a somewhat surprising development, given Apple’s general crackdown on Epic. However, with the company facing increasing pressure from the EU, it seems it decided to back down from this particular struggle, perhaps proving that the DMA has some teeth after all.
Previously, Apple terminated Epic’s developer account over concerns that the company wouldn’t follow the rules. The concerns weren’t unfounded, given that Epic violated Apple’s App Store rules with a Fortnite update that sparked a legal battle in the U.S. — a battle Epic ultimately lost.
But along with those concerns, Apple also made it about Epic CEO Tim Sweeney’s public criticism of the iPhone maker’s DMA compliance plans, which came off as a threat. That sparked action from the EU, with the union’s commissioner saying, “there is no room for threats by gatekeepers to silence developers” under the DMA.
Perhaps Apple’s decision to back off could be related to the massive fine it just received from the EU over antitrust complaints related to Spotify.
Source: Epic Games
