Apple has opted to reinstate the developer App Store account of Epic Games after terminating it earlier this week following concerns the Fortnite maker wouldn’t act in good faith when it comes to complying with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Epic Games confirmed the latest reinstatement in an updated post on its news blog. The news comes following an announcement by the European Commission which stated that it would probe Apple over the earlier termination decision, which the Cupertino company blamed on Epic’s past behavior when it comes to upholding the App Store rules.
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!
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Epic Games
Separately, Apple confirmed to TechCrunch that it has restored the developer account of Epic Games following a round of discussion involving both companies. Apple now seems confident that Epic will not seek to violate App Store terms and conditions as it has done in the past.
Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our DMA policies. As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program.
Apple Statement
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney commanded the decision to reinstate his company’s developer account in a new post on X. Sweeney labeled Apple’s latest reveal as a “big win” for developers worldwide to take on Apple and have regulations on their side.
Epic Games will now be allowed to bring its Epic Games Store as intended as an alternative app marketplace to EU iPhone users running the iOS 17.4 update. This means that Fortnite will likely be available again to iPhone users, at least in Europe, following its removal from the App Store in 2020 after an update that featured a third-party payment platform for in-app purchases.
