Epic Games Calls Out Apple Over ‘Roadblocks’ in Launching Game Store in Europe [UPDATE]

Replace, July 5, 1:50 p.m. PT: Apple has instructed IGN that it has now authorized the Epic Sweden AB Market app, and that it is requested Epic to repair the looks similarity difficulty in a future submission. Epic Games confirmed this with an replace on its X/Twitter account, which you’ll be able to see beneath.

Replace: Apple has knowledgeable us that our beforehand rejected Epic Games Store notarization submission has now been accepted. https://t.co/tl5LY1aQD6

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) July 5, 2024

Earlier story as follows:

Fortnite developer Epic Games has referred Apple to the European Fee over its rejection in bringing its recreation retailer to the EU, Epic stated in an announcement on X/Twitter on Friday.

Within the X/Twitter thread, which you’ll be able to learn beneath, Epic says Apple has rejected the notarization submission of its recreation retailer twice. The explanation given by Apple, Epic says, is similarities between the Epic Game Store’s “Set up” and “In-app purchases” buttons and Apple’s “Get” and “In-App Purchases” labels.

1/3 Apple has rejected our Epic Games Store notarization submission twice now, claiming the design and place of Epic’s “Set up” button is just too much like Apple’s “Get” button and that our “In-app purchases” label is just too much like the App Store’s “In-App Purchases” label.

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) July 5, 2024

3/3 Apple’s rejection is bigoted, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA, and we have shared our considerations with the European Fee. Barring additional roadblocks from Apple, we stay able to launch in the Epic Games Store and Fortnite on iOS in the EU in the following couple of…

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) July 5, 2024

Epic, nevertheless, argues that Apple’s “rejection is bigoted, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA (Digital Markets Act),” and that it’s following customary conventions in order to make the Epic Game Store simple for customers to grasp.

“Barring additional roadblocks from Apple, we stay able to launch in the Epic Games Store and Fortnite on iOS in the EU in the following couple of months,” Epic provides.

Epic beforehand introduced that it will convey its digital storefront and Fornite again to iOS in Europe earlier this 12 months. That is thanks in giant half to the EU’s Digital Markets Act and the ensuing adjustments made to Apple’s polices that made it potential for third-party firms to launch their very own storefronts on the App Store.

As we speak’s assertion is just the most recent in Apple and Epic’s ongoing regulatory feud, with Epic having taken Apple to job over the 30% minimize it takes in in-app purchases. It led to a closely adopted antitrust trial in 2021, with the authorized battle persevering with over time.

Epic’s case could possibly be one of many first to reveal how Apple and different main firms affected by the DMA cope with the rules. In March, EU regulators opened an investigation into Apple, Google, and Meta over non-compliance with the DMA insurance policies, with it being revealed in June that Apple can be the primary firm to face fees over it.

Alex Stedman is a Senior Information Editor with IGN, overseeing leisure reporting. When she’s not writing or modifying, you’ll find her studying fantasy novels or taking part in Dungeons & Dragons.