Epic Games announced that Apple unbanned the company’s European developer account following public backlash.
Fortnite maker Epic Games announced that Apple has reinstated the European developer account, which was banned just a few days ago. After the account was unbanned on Apple’s App Store, Epic Games can publish the Epic Games Store app and Fortnite on iOS devices.
Earlier this week, Apple terminated Epic Games’ Swedish developer account, which the company could use to release Fortnite and other apps on the App Store in some European countries. Thanks to the European Digital Markets Act passed by the European Union in December 2022, developers can take consumers to a third-party website to make payments instead of the App Store.
The Digital Markets Act was enacted in March 2024, allowing Epic Games to publish its Epic Games Store App and Fortnite in some European countries. In 2020, Fortnite was banned from the App Store after violating some of Apple’s guidelines because the developers introduced a direct payment method within the game.
Read More: Watch Dogs Movie Reportedly In Production
Epic Games Developer Account Reinstated By Apple
In an announcement on its website, Epic Games said that Apple will reinstate its developer account, and the company will now move forward with the plans to launch the Epic Games Store and release Fortnite on iOS in Europe.
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. Onward!
We recently announced that Apple approved our Epic Games Sweden AB developer account. We intended to use that account to bring the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to iOS devices in Europe thanks to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). To our surprise, Apple has terminated that account and now we cannot develop the Epic Games Store for iOS. This is a serious violation of the DMA and shows Apple has no intention of allowing true competition on iOS devices.
The DMA requires Apple to allow third-party app stores, like the Epic Games Store. Article 6(4) of the DMA says: “The gatekeeper shall allow and technically enable the installation and effective use of third-party software applications or software application stores using, or interoperating with, its operating system and allow those software applications or software application stores to be accessed by means other than the relevant core platform services of that gatekeeper.”
Epic Games’ Update
On Wednesday, the Digital Markets Act officially went into effect, allowing third-party app stores and different payment methods on iOS. The new law will allow European fans to play Fortnite on their iOS devices again.
Read More: First 40 Minutes of Stellar Blade Gameplay Posted Online
