- Fortnite and Epic Games Store are likely to be listed on Apple's App Store in EU.
- European Union's DMA has favored the grounds for the comeback although it would still take months before it actually arrives.
- Epic will have to pay EUR0.50 per install per year as Core Technology Fee to Apple to accomodate the app on the App Store.
Fortnite from Epic Games is planning to make a comeback on Apple’s App Store in the European Union (EU) after the latter received favorable judgments by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It has filed the app for notarization and if it goes through, you will be able to download Fortnite or the alternative app store ‘Epic Games Store’ right from Apple’s official marketplace App Store.
Epic Games was the first company to challenge both Apple and Google for their ill practices as gatekeepers. Epic Games has been in exile from the App Store since 2020 after it found a way around to bypass Apple’s hefty 30% revenue cut on all in-app purchases. Tim Sweeney of Epic said both the App Store and Google’s Play Store are making more money from creative works than the creators themselves.
After violating Apple’s policies on the App Store, the technology giant threw Epic from its platform entirely with no way to return. However, the EU’s DMA legislation has been a blessing for companies pitting against gatekeepers such as Google and Apple that put unnecessary entry barriers and hefty fees on apps from operating on these devices.
Epic Games Strikes Back with Notarization Process on iOS
Cut to now, Epic Games has filed for app notarization on the App Store in the EU which could take a few weeks or months to complete as it is still a human review process. With that being said, once the notarization is done, Epic Games will be able to list both Fortnite and Epic Games Store on the App Store in the EU. We do hope that the US and other markets will respond similarly in the near future.
Epic will have to pay Apple a ‘Core Technology Fee’ which is EUR0.50 per install per year. It means if you download Fortnite from the App Store and retain it for two years, Epic will have to pay Apple a sum of EUR1.0. That number racks up pretty quickly once Fortnite swings into action after one million units installed.
On the other hand, the EU’s DMA is also actively investigating the Core Technology Fee (aforementioned) since it tends to violate DMA anti-steering policies. Check out this space for more information as the story progresses.
