After almost four years of absence, Fortnite is about to return to iPhone, iPad (and on all mobile devices with the iOS operating system). In fact the game developer Epic Gamesafter then long tug-of-war with Applehad decided to remove its most popular title from the App Store, due to a controversy over the percentages imposed by the bitten big apple.
Now, thanks to the new Digital Markets Act of the European Union, Apple is obliged to also welcome third-party apps on its official store with a fairer approval and distribution system. In fact, we remind you that Fortnite is a free-to-play game (free for players), but with the possibility of making cosmetic purchases in game. Precisely this would have been the object of the dispute, with Apple requesting percentages on purchases within the game distributed on its store.
Fortnite will return to the App Store for free starting March 7, 2024.
What is the Digital Market Act?
The Digital Markets Act is a law that aims to ensure greater competition and transparency in the digital marketlimiting the power of the so-called “gatekeeper”, i.e. the large online platforms that control access to consumers. A kind of anti-monopoly law.
Among the measures provided by the law, there is the possibility for developers to distribute their apps outside of the Apple App Store, as long as they undergo Apple’s “Notarization” approval process, which serves to verify that apps are not harmful to users. Additionally, Apple has introduced a new fee structure that promises to be more affordable, or at least fair, for most developers operating in European markets.
Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We’ll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) January 25, 2024
One of the first companies to exploit this opportunity was precisely Epic Gameswhich he announced the return of Fortnite on iOS in Europe.
Epic vs Apple: the battle of Fortnite on iOS devices
Fortnite is one of the most famous and played games in the world, with over 350 million registered users. The game was removed from the Apple App Store after Epic Games introduced an alternative payment method, which allowed users to save money. 30% of the fees Apple charged for each in-app purchase. This move had sparked a legal battle between the two companies, which accused each other of violating antitrust laws.
Since, iOS users were only able to play Fortnite via cloud gaming services (come Xbox Cloud Gaming o GeForce Now).
However, the return of Fortnite to iOS in Europe does not seem to have appeased the anger of Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games. In fact, although the DMA has been approved in Europe, the battle is still open in the States.
In a post on X, Sweeney referred to Apple’s new fees as “junk taxes” and “Apple taxes.” You also denounced the conditions imposed by Apple to obtain an entitlement, or special permission to access certain features of the operating system.
Under what possible theory of antitrust regulation is it acceptable for a monopoly to decide what companies are allowed to compete with it, and on what terms they can compete? Apple makes a mockery of free market competition. https://t.co/BPEdXQ2htt
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 26, 2024
“Under what possible theory of antitrust regulation is it acceptable for a monopoly to decide which companies can compete with it, and under what terms they can compete? Apple mocks free market competition,” wrote Sweeney, who did not accept the verdict of the US Supreme Court, which rejected his appeal against Apple earlier this month.
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