The tech giant, Apple, is being questioned by the European Union (EU) regulators, following the termination of Epic Games' developer account, as reported by Bloomberg. Epic Games, the developer of the popular Fortnite game, recently announced their intentions to once again make their services available on iOS platforms in Europe. For this, they intended to utilise their developer account under the name Epic Games Sweden AB.
According to an official blog shared by Epic Games, the intention to return to iOS was abruptly halted as Apple terminated the said developer account. Apple's reasoning for this action included a public backlash against Epic’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) compliance plan, and a perceived threat posed by Epic Games to Apple’s ecosystem.
Bloomberg’s report further elaborates that an EU commission spokesperson has confirmed their request for Apple to provide additional explanation on this action. The spokesperson highlighted that they are looking into the possibility of whether Apple fell foul of digital rules. In a statement issued by Apple, they noted, "Epic’s egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate any or all of Epic Games wholly owned subsidiaries". Epic and Apple have engaged in several legal tussles in the past, with Apple also announcing its aim to recover $73 million in legal fees from Epic Games earlier this year.
In an attempt to showcase more versatility in its business practices, Apple recently updated their permissions, allowing game streaming services and apps, including Xbox Cloud Gaming, to operate on iPhones. The permission extends to 'mini-apps', 'mini-games', 'chatbots', and 'plug-ins', who can now incorporate Apple's In-App Purchase system, potentially signifying a shift in Apple’s firm hold over its ecosystem.
However, as Epic Games suggests in their recent blog, these actions could be seen as Apple retaliating against them. Could this be construed as Apple testing the Digital Markets Act or setting a precedent for other third parties? That remains a matter of speculation.
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