EU Officials Look Into Latest Apple-Epic Games Spat

(RTTNews) - European Commission officials said that they would question Apple (AAPL) regarding the recent incident where the tech giant blocked Epic Games' developer account from the app store.

The latest spat began when Epic Games announced that it had secured a developer account to relaunch its popular video game Fortnite on Apple's separate app store for EU under the new Digital Markets Act or DMA.

The tech giant had removed Fortnite from app store in 2020 saying, "Epic's egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate 'any or all of Epic Games' wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games' control at any time and at Apple's sole discretion.' In light of Epic's past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right,"

Speaking about the relaunch of Fortnite on iOS, Apple's Phil Schiller stated that the company is unsure that Epic Games would comply with the company's regulations. He expressed his concerns over the gaming company's criticisms about Apple's DMA compliance. "In plain, unqualified terms, please tell us why we should trust Epic this time," he asked Epic Games's CEO Tim Sweeney in an email.

Sweeney responded, "Epic and its subsidiaries are acting in good faith and will comply with all terms of current and future agreements with Apple, and we'll be glad to provide Apple with any specific further assurances on the topic that you'd like."

On March 2, the smartphone maker sent a letter to Epic Games stating, "Apple recently reached out directly to Mr. Sweeney to give him an opportunity to explain why Apple should trust Epic this time and allow Epic Games Sweden AB to become an active developer. Mr. Sweeney's response to that request was wholly insufficient and not credible."

"Please be advised that Apple has, effective immediately, terminated the Developer Program membership of Epic Games Sweden AB," the letter further stated citing Epic as "verifiably untrustworthy".

The EU's antitrust watchdog said that it had requested further explanations from Apple about the matter under the DMA, whereas Epic Games is planning on introducing Fortnite on iOS via another company's third-party app store.