Epic Games stated that it intended to use the company's Swedish developer account to distribute an Epic Games Store on iOS in the EU, which would bring the Fortnite app back to the iPhone. Starting with iOS 17.4, Apple allows the use of alternative marketplaces for apps on iPhone in the EU, as part of compliance with the Digital Markets Act. But now Apple has closed the developer account by Epic Games.
Epic believes Apple suspended its Swedish developer account in part because of the public criticism from Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic, Apple's proposed Digital Markets Act compliance plans. Epic shared a letter it received from App Store chief Phil Schiller, who said that Sweeney's “colorful criticism” of Apple's plans, but also Epic's history of “intentionally violating contractual provisions with which it disagrees,” strongly suggest that Epic does not intend to follow the Apple Developer Program rules if reinstated.
Epic Games writes: “With the termination of Epic's developer account, Apple is eliminating one of its biggest potential competitors of the Apple App Store. It's undermining our ability to be a viable competitor and showing other developers what happens when you try to compete with Apple or criticize its unfair practices.”
“If Apple maintains the power to hunt a third-party marketplace by iOS in its sole discretion, no reasonable developer will be willing to use a third-party app store, because it could be permanently severed from its audience at any time.”
Apple's motivation
Apple, in responsesaid it has terminated Epic Games Sweden's developer account worldwide due to the developer's untrustworthy behavior.
Apple shared the following with MacRumors declaration: “Epic's gross breach of its contractual obligations to Apple has led the courts to rule that Apple has the right to terminate “any or all of Epic Games' wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates and/or other entities under control of Epic Games at all times and in Apple's sole discretion.” In light of Epic's past and ongoing conduct, Apple has chosen to exercise this right.”
We remember that the legal battle between the two companies began in 2020, after Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store on iPhone due to Epic introducing a direct payment option in the app for the in-game currency V-Bucks, which ran afoul of the rules of the App Store.
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