Apple approves Epic Games Marketplace app in Europe

Apple approved Epic Games’ games store app is available on iPhones and iPads in Europe after the Fortnite creator escalated its dispute with the tech giant, accusing it of hindering efforts to launch the games store on those devices.

Apple said the latest dispute concerns the Epic Sweden Marketplace and has nothing to do with the video game maker’s Fortnite app, which has already been greenlit.

App developers and antitrust regulators have criticized Apple’s tight control over the iOS app ecosystem.

Before Apple announced its decision, Epic said the iPhone maker had twice rejected documents provided by the video game publisher to launch the Epic Games Store because the design of some buttons and labels was similar to those used in the App Store.

“We use the same ‘Install’ and ‘In-App Purchases’ naming conventions used in popular app stores across multiple platforms, and we follow standard iOS app button conventions,” Epic said in a series of posts on X.

“Apple’s rejection is arbitrary, obstructive and violates the DMA (Digital Markets Act). We have shared our concerns with the European Commission,” the statement said.

The European Commission, which has opened an investigation into the checks and reviews carried out by Apple to approve apps and alternative app stores for local streaming, declined to comment.

Legal battle

Epic and Apple have been locked in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming company accused Apple of charging a commission of up to 30% on in-app payments on iOS devices violating U.S. antitrust laws.

Earlier this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with certain DMA directives that went into effect in March. It allowed alternative app stores on iPhones and opted out of using the in-app payment system, but set a “core technology fee” that several developers found exploitative. — Yuvraj Malik, Aditya Soni and Jaspreet Singh, (c) 2024 Reuters

Read next article: Apple goes to war with Epic Games in the EU