Apple has yet again ceased Epic Games' developer account on the App Store, and this means that the latter company's apps are currently unavailable to download or update on iOS platforms. Epic cited that they were told that this was because of the X thread post by its CEO, Tim Sweeney, who previously openly criticized Apple's upcoming changes to adhere to the EU's Digital Markets Act.
The DMA law would be coming into effect this mid-March, and there is a gray area in this time leading to it for the said violation of Apple.
Apple Ceased Epic Games' Developer Account on the App Store
(Photo : ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
A new blog post from Epic Games detailed the latest ban that Apple imposed upon them, ceasing their developer account yet again on the App Store. This was after the company shared with the world that its Epic Games Sweden AB developer account was established on the App Store thanks to the European Union's DMA.
The company said that it cannot access and develop the Epic Games Store app on iOS, best known for the platform to source what the company has to offer, including the iOS version of its battle royale, Fortnite.
"This is a serious violation of the DMA and shows Apple has no intention of allowing true competition on iOS devices," Epic said. Moreover, Epic added that this is "what happens when you try to compete with Apple or are critical of their unfair practices."
Epic Claimed it was Because of Tim Sweeney's X Post
Epic said that Apple told them that one of the reasons behind this termination yet again was due to Tim Sweeney's earlier post via X, with the thread talking negatively against the Cupertino giant. Here, Sweeney stated Apple's monopolistic behavior which mentioned the App Store, digital goods payment, suppression of true information about competing purchasing options, and more.
Apple vs. Epic Games: Still Ongoing
Apple vs. Epic Games was a longstanding dispute between the two companies that stemmed in 2020, right in the heat of the pandemic, when the games developing company offered a third-party payment channel that violated App Store policy. Fast forward to three years later, the case was brought to the US Supreme Court for a further look into the case as decided by the lower courts.
However, the DMA law taking effect has been a monumental thing for Epic Games as this made Fortnite's return to iOS possible, even without being made available to the App Store. Through the Epic Games Store for iOS, users may get the chance to download Fortnite and other mobile experiences from the company, enjoy the no Apple commission rate for their purchases, and more.
However, amidst this revelation, Sweeney spoke out against Apple for their new policies and operations under the DMA, calling this a "malicious compliance" of the Cupertino giant. Apple did not let this off easily as they then again terminated Epic's developer account on the App Store despite the DMA law's upcoming effect, and both companies' disputes far from ending.
