Fortnite's rocky road back to iPhone

According to Android Authority , users in Europe will soon be able to play Fortnite again on their iPhones, despite Epic's tumultuous legal battle with Apple in the past.

After Epic and Apple’s public legal dispute in 2020, the European Commission (EC) introduced new rules to combat unfair competition practices against European businesses and customers, paving the way for Epic to return to iOS devices. But Apple quickly dashed those hopes by locking its developer account.

However, on March 8, Epic said Apple had decided to reinstate its developer account in Europe and the game developer was working to bring Fortnite back to iOS via the Epic Games Store.

Epic and Apple's battle

The trigger for the battle between the two companies is the fact that Apple, as the exclusive app store operator on iOS devices, takes a commission of up to 30% on all in-app purchases, while also blocking alternative payment methods.

This means additional costs for developers, which also affects iPhone users. According to Apple, they believe such strict policies are necessary to ensure user safety.

Epic and Apple's battle has lasted more than 3 years

The legal battle between Apple and Epic has caught the attention of the European Commission (EC), which has introduced the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in 2022, which aims to promote fairness and competition. As part of the new DMA policies, so-called gatekeepers like Apple and Google will have to allow third-party app stores and alternative payment methods on their operating systems.

Thanks to the DMA, Epic planned to return to iOS by joining Apple's Developer Program through its Epic Games Sweden developer account, but Apple locked the account after a few email exchanges.

EC intervention

This move by Apple has attracted the attention of the EC, which has begun investigating whether Apple violated DMA regulations by locking Epic's developer account.

As of March 8, Reuters continued to report that the EC will also review whether Apple's actions against Epic are in compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Platforms to Business (P2B) Regulation.

Apple gives up, Fortnite will soon return to iOS

Faced with pressure from the EC, Apple appears to have seen the serious consequences of not complying with the DMA, which could see it face a hefty fine of tens of millions of euros. The company has decided to reinstate Epic’s developer account. In addition, public criticism and a drop in its stock price may have also played a role in Apple’s decision.

Fortnite is coming back to iPhone in Europe soon

Now, fans just have to wait and see when Epic will make good on its promise to bring Fortnite and the Epic Game Store to iPhone in Europe, which Epic is expected to do this year. The game developer also noted that DMA was key to changing their fortunes.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/con-duong-day-chong-gai-cua-fortnite-de-tro-lai-iphone-185240313130248407.htm