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Apple reinstates Epic Games’ developer account

By Thomson Reuters Mar 8, 2024 | 12:04 PM

(Reuters) -Apple has reinstated Epic Games’ developer account, the Fortnite game maker said on Friday, two days after it had blocked the company from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe.

The game developer said it will move on with its plans to bring the Epic Games Store and the Fortnite game back to iOS in the continent.

“This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable,” Epic Games added.

The two companies have been in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple’s practice of charging up to 30% commissions on in-app payments on its iOS devices violated U.S. antitrust rules.

“Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our DMA policies. As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program,” Apple said in a statement.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)