We live in a world where corporations are constantly butting heads, especially in gaming. Now it appears that Apple and Epic Games are at it again; this time, they are evolving the EU. To fully make sense of this story, we first have to go over how we got here.
Why Apple And Epic Games Are Fighting?
Apple has a long history of not getting along with many third-party developers for several reasons. The first big reason is that most developers and companies do not like the extensive fees that are run through the Apple app store. The second is just how much moderation Apple does in its app store.
For these two reasons, many companies will create workarounds or just not use Apple at all. Netflix, for example, won’t let you sign up through an Apple device because Apple will take a huge commission on the purchase. Many apps work like this, and many more just won’t put up with the hassle.
In that same vein, Epic Games has been attempting to develop its own marketplace for Fortnite and make it available to Apple users. For very obvious reasons, Apple has been blocking this and winning. A recent law passed in Sweden has changed things in the EU and presents an opportunity for Epic Games.
How This New Case Got Opened?
So, the basic idea behind the new DM law, is that it prevents tech companies from blocking access to a digital marketplace. Whether this would apply to something like a whole other digital service like what Epic wants to do is a matter of discussion. This was a discussion that Epic wanted to have, so they filed for their marketplace to be put in the Apple store.
Apple views this as a violation and has filed a suit against Epic for said violations. The funny thing about this is that because Epic filed in Sweden, the lawsuit has to happen in Sweden. This means that United States law is not being argued, but EU law is instead.
This is a big deal for Apple as the EU takes a far different attitude to large corporations and attempted control of a market place than the United States does. Their laws and rulings have often gone against corporations on everything from user rights to how information can be harvested from clients. Because of this, it will not be an easy battle for Apple, and that is no better summed up than by the words of Thierry Breton.
“Under the #DMA, there is no room for gatekeeper threats to silence developers. I have asked our services to look into Apple’s termination of Epic’s developer account as a matter of priority,” Breton said. This could swing the wrong way for Apple, and if it does, it could see a slew of games and tech companies putting their own markets on Apple devices. It is still possible that Apple could win, but without a firm reasoning for the suit, there is no guarantee. So, only time will tell how this will affect Apple’s future.
