Epic Games has announced its intention to develop the Epic Games Store on iPhones in Europe within a few weeks. With the arrival of DMA in the old continent, Apple will be forced to open up its services to competition and it is the App Store that will suffer the most.
It was during its 2023 review that Tim Sweeney’s company indicated that it had regained its developer account at Apple. Epic Games, particularly its multiplatform game Fortnite, which led to legal action in the United States, was later suspended by the Apple brand for months due to its practices.
Epic Games will take on Apple in Europe
If Epic Games didn’t get the victory it hoped for against Apple in Uncle Sam’s territory, it’s the old world that smiles on the video game company today. Indeed, new European rules, which will come into effect in early March, will allow third-party platforms to compete with the App Store.
But Apple hasn’t had its last word, and the Apple brand doesn’t intend to let it. Because the App Store, apart from being the super-popular platform on the iPhone (for lack of a better word) is the real goose that lays the golden egg for Apple. Over the past 12 months, it has generated billions of dollars, allowing Apple to make significant profits with its 30% commission.
Apple wants to defend itself
To prevent the App Store from too many competitors, Apple has decided to implement a new policy regarding applications. If these can be downloaded outside of the App Store soon, developers will have to pay the price.
Apple has set a price of 50 cents per download for the most popular applications (those with over a million users). A “sneaky” practice that demonstrates Apple’s desire for, in Tim Sweeney’s words, “malicious compliance” with new European laws.
A legal battle in Europe?
The bosses of Epic Games have already announced that their company “We strongly reject bending this process to undermine competition and continue to impose Apple taxes on Apple’s transactions that do not involve it.” In other words, Epic Games will not pay the fee requested by Apple and if new legal proceedings must be initiated, this will be the case in Europe.
A dangerous game for Apple, the European Commission is not the Cupertino company’s best friend. The same organization called for an end to the App Store monopoly, it’s hard to see how it could rule in Apple’s favor in a conflict involving Epic Games and Epic Games. “Commerce is open to all”.
Epic Games, a real Robin Hood?
For its part, Epic Games vigorously defends developers against ogre Apple. In its take on the legendary Apple ad of 1984, Epic Games defines itself as a defender of commercial freedom against the big bad Apple. But Epic Games guides the pursuit of justice through the greatest personal profit. The arrival of Epic Games Store on iPhone will reduce App Store turnover and the big winner in this regard will be Epic Games.
Tim Sweeney’s company, under the guise of helping ordinary people get access to digital products at a reasonable price, positions itself as the ideal seller, not forgetting to take its commission, like all sellers.
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