A New Dawn for Fortnite: The Impact of the EU’s Digital Markets RegulationThe Rise of Fortnite: Reimagining the Future
In a surprising turn of events, popular survival game Fortnite is making a triumphant comeback to Apple devices thanks to the European Union’s Digital Markets Regulation (DMA). Previously removed from the Apple App Store in 2020, Fortnite’s return is now imminent with the implementation of the new regulation.
Apple’s decision to remove the game was prompted by Epic Games, the game’s developer, attempting to lower prices on in-game items, which would have resulted in reduced profits for both Apple and Google – tech giants associated with in-game purchases.
However, the introduction of the DMA has changed the playing field. This regulation compels Apple to allow third-party websites within the App Store on iOS devices. Under the new rules, Apple must also enable users to “sideload” their own applications directly onto their iOS devices. Previously, this feature was only available to Android users.
These changes mean that Epic Games will be able to offer its Epic Games Store application within the Apple App Store, allowing users in the European Union to download Fortnite through personally provided sources. However, for Epic Games and other companies like Spotify that have criticized Apple’s fees, it will still be a challenging task to make their products available on the Apple platform.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, effectively captured this dilemma in a statement provided on the X website a few hours before the announcement of Fortnite’s return. He shed light on Apple’s proposal, noting that Apple could selectively permit competition with its own App Store. For example, they could effectively block the introduction of the Epic Games Store and the distribution of Fortnite through that platform, and potentially hinder Microsoft, Valve, Good Old Games, or new competitors in the future. Sweeney summed up his statement by expressing the need for time to understand both the explicit and hidden aspects of this new situation.
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The source of the article is from the blog jomfruland.net