Up to date March 7: Apple despatched us a press release explaining why it terminated the account.
After the DMA compelled Apple to open up its app ecosystem within the EU, Epic Video games introduced that it might carry its personal recreation retailer to iOS in Europe and convey Fortnite again to the platform there. Although the corporate nonetheless disagrees with Apple’s new developer phrases, it nonetheless wished to make good on its promise to supply a substitute for the App Retailer for recreation builders because the Digital Markets Act now forces Apple to permit.
Now, the corporate says its plans are on maintain as a result of Apple has terminated the developer account it deliberate to make use of to publish its iOS recreation retailer. Epic introduced on February 16 that its developer account for this undertaking, Epic Video games Sweden AB, was authorised by Apple. Now, the corporate has printed a weblog publish the place it says Apple has terminated that developer account.
Why did Apple terminate the account? Epic claims it’s largely due to the corporate’s criticism of Apple’s insurance policies:
Apple stated one of many causes they terminated our developer account only some weeks after approving it was as a result of we publicly criticized their proposed DMA compliance plan. Apple cited this X publish from this thread written by Tim Sweeney. Apple is retaliating in opposition to Epic for talking out in opposition to Apple’s unfair and unlawful practices, simply as they’ve executed to different builders time and time once more.Â
Apple additionally claims that Epic is a risk to their ecosystem, however that is a wholly unjustified excuse to terminate considered one of our accounts. Apple has been a long-time public supporter of Unreal Engine. We even have had ongoing contractual relationships with Apple going again to 2010 for Epic’s video games, Unreal Engine, and our different creator instruments.
Epic Video games
The weblog publish continues by exhibiting correspondence between Epic Video games and Apple over its try to publish its recreation retailer, adjust to Apple’s new phrases, and safe considered one of Apple’s DMA session slots to debate guidelines and compliance with Apple (for which it was unsuccessful).
Apple despatched us the next assertion explaining why it terminated the account:
Epic’s egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to find out that Apple has the fitting to terminate ‘all or any of Epic Video games’ wholly owned subsidiaries, associates, and/or different entities below Epic Video games’ management at any time and at Apple’s sole discretion.’ In mild of Epic’s previous and ongoing habits, Apple selected to train that proper.
Apple
Apple appears to be saying that Epic’s previous habits provides them the fitting to terminate any of their accounts at will, and so they don’t belief the corporate to not break its contracts once more.
The authorized and regulatory battle over iPhone app distribution and funds, of which Epic Video games performs a central half, is way from over. We count on extra developments, each within the EU and in different markets, within the coming weeks and months.