Epic’s App Store developer account restored in Europe once again – Six Colors

By

Dan Moren

March 8, 2024 10:16 AM PT

This week has been a heck of a roller coaster for Epic. After the game-maker’s Sweden branch reportedly had its developer account restored so that the company could launch its alternative app marketplace in Europe, the company was subsequently banned again by Apple. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney posted the exchange with Apple’s Phil Schiller, as well as the ensuing message from Apple’s lawyers saying that Epic would not be allowed to have a developer account in the EU.

But now Epic’s been returned to the App Store again, due in some part to an intervention from the European Commission, with Sweeney saying “a swift inquiry” led to Apple agreeing to reinstate Epic’s account.

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. Following a swift inquiry by the European Commission, Apple notified the Commission and Epic that it would relent…

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 8, 2024

Apple, for its part, issued a terse statement, saying only, “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.”

This whole series of shenanigans has been an own goal by Apple, which seems to have largely taken issue with Sweeney’s criticisms of how Cupertino changed its rules to accommodate Europe’s Digital Markets Act. It doesn’t really end up looking great for Apple, which now seems both petty and ineffective. Just another reminder that optics are important.

[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His latest novel, the supernatural detective story All Souls Lost, is out now.]

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