Apple has deleted the developer account of game developer Epic Games Sweden. This makes it difficult for the company to release an alternative App Store for iOS, through which it can distribute games like Fortnite.
Epic Games just got its developer account back. Apple blocked that account in 2020 after a heated feud with Epic, but reactivated it last February. The account has now been canceled after all, which has major consequences for Epic Games' plans. The game developer planned to release its own App Store on iOS, the Epic Games Store.
According to Apple, Epic Games cannot be trusted, according to correspondence that Epic Games shares in a blog post on its website. For example, Apple's Phil Schiller states in a letter to Sweeney that Epic Games violated Apple's rules in 2020 by adding its own payment system to the game Fortnite, with which in-app purchases can be made. Sweeney has also strongly criticized Apple's new App Store policy, which was introduced to comply with the new European Digital Markets Act. “Tell us in clear terms why we should trust Epic this time,” Schiller asks.
Sweeney responded to the letter the same day, according to the shared correspondence. In it he says that Epic 'acts in good faith' and will comply with all terms of current and future agreements with Apple, and also wants to provide guarantees. That was not enough for Apple: on March 2, Apple lawyers reported in a letter that Epic Games' developer account had been terminated. The lawyers said Sweeney's response was “inadequate and unbelievable.” A message from Sweeney on possibility for third parties to release their own app store on the platform. Now that the Digital Markets Act has come into effect in Europe, Apple is indeed obliged to allow third-party app stores. However, without a developer account, this is not possible for Epic Games, according to Sweeney. Corie Wright, vice president of public policy at Epic Games, told The Verge that the company has informed the European Commission of Apple's decision.