Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says its developer account was reinstated following “a swift inquiry” from the European Commission.
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Epic Games will be able to open its iOS app store in the European Union after all. The game publisher had its developer license revoked by Apple earlier this week, but Epic Games now says that Apple has reversed its decision following an inquiry from the European Commission.
In an update on its website, Epic Games says Apple has “committed to the European Commission that they will reinstate our developer account.” The company is now “moving forward as planned to launch the Epic Games Store and bring Fortnite back to iOS in Europe.”
Apple confirmed the decision in an email to The Verge. “Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our [Digital Markets Act] policies,” said Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz. “As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program.”
The European Commission is taking credit for the reinstatement of Epic’s developer license. In a post on X, Commissioner Thierry Breton says he takes “note with satisfaction that following our contacts Apple decided to backtrack its decision on Epic exclusion.”
On Wednesday, Epic shared that Apple had revoked its developer license after the game publisher finally got it back following Fortnite’s removal from iOS in 2020. Apple cited criticism from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney — who called Apple’s EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) changes “hot garbage” — as the reason for its termination. EU regulators began looking into why Apple banned Epic’s developer account shortly after, as well as whether it complied with the accompanying Digital Services Act.
“The DMA went through its first major challenge with Apple banning Epic Games Sweden from competing with the App Store, and the DMA just had its first major victory,” Sweeney writes in a post on X. “Following a swift inquiry by the European Commission, Apple notified the Commission and Epic that it would relent and restore our access to bring back Fortnite and launch Epic Games Store in Europe under the DMA law.”
The EU’s DMA officially went into effect on Wednesday, allowing third-party app stores and alternative payment options on iOS. You can continue to use third-party apps while outside the EU, but don’t expect to be able to update them if you’re traveling for too long.
Update March 8th, 1:49PM ET: Added a statement from Thierry Breton.
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Emma Roth
