Apple has escalated its dispute with Epic Games by blocking the Fortnite app in the European Union. The move is the latest escalation in the legal battle between the two companies, which began in 2020 when Epic Games accused Apple of monopolistic practices due to the high fees it charges for in-app transactions on iPhones and other devices.
The move to block Fortnite in the EU comes after Epic Games managed to obtain a developer account in Sweden, which would allow them to launch their own online marketplace in Europe. However, Apple cancelled this account, which Epic Games considers a serious violation of the EU Digital Markets Act.
Epic Games argues that this action demonstrates that Apple has no intention of allowing real competition on its iOS devices. For its part, Apple argues that it has sole discretion to terminate developer accounts, citing past and present contractual breaches by Epic Games.
Meanwhile, Apple has proposed some changes to comply with the DMA ahead of the March 7 deadline, including the possibility of alternative app stores and the option of not using its in-app payment system, but with an annual basic technology fee for developers who opt into this regime. The dispute continues, and Fortnite users in the EU are caught in the middle of this battle between tech giants.
