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On July 5, 2024, Epic Games said Apple had rejected its proposed Epic Games Store marketplace for iPhone and iPad in the European Union twice. Epic said Apple objected to the store’s “Install” button and “In-app purchases” label, calling the reasoning arbitrary and potentially inconsistent with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple approved the marketplace later that day after the disputed interface elements were changed. Epic Games Store and Fortnite launched on EU iOS devices on August 16, 2024, so the rejection was a temporary escalation—not a permanent ban.
What Apple rejected
The dispute concerned Epic Games Store’s notarization submission for alternative distribution in the EU, not a normal request to list a game in Apple’s App Store. Apple’s EU system requires marketplace apps and software distributed through them to pass a baseline security and integrity review.
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According to Epic’s public account, Apple rejected the submission twice because:
- The appearance and placement of Epic’s “Install” button allegedly resembled Apple’s “Get” button.
- The “In-app purchases” wording allegedly resembled terminology used by the App Store.
Epic argued that these labels and controls are ordinary conventions used by software stores and iOS apps. Those reasons come from Epic’s account and contemporaneous reporting; Apple did not publicly confirm a complete point-by-point explanation in the available record. Tech Times reported Epic’s July 5 complaint.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Why Epic called the rejection arbitrary
Epic said Apple was using cosmetic design objections to delay a direct competitor rather than identifying a concrete malware, privacy or security risk. In Epic’s view, alternative-distribution review should focus on user protection, not whether a rival store uses familiar button shapes or purchase terminology.
That was an allegation, not a final legal finding. Epic said it had complained to the European Commission and argued that Apple’s approach undermined the DMA’s goal of making iOS more contestable. No available record establishes that the European Commission had finally ruled the July rejection unlawful.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What the Digital Markets Act changed
The DMA applies to Apple’s designated gatekeeper obligations in the European Union, not automatically to every country in Europe. The United Kingdom, for example, is outside this EU regime.
Article 6(4) requires a designated gatekeeper to allow and technically enable the installation and effective use of third-party software applications and software application stores that use or interoperate with its operating system. The European Commission said gatekeepers had to comply with the relevant obligations from March 7, 2024. The Commission’s compliance announcement is here.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
The obligation does not make every submission automatically approvable. Apple says its notarization process combines automated checks and human review for malware, fraud, misleading software, serious privacy or security risks, credibility and basic functionality. Apple’s explanation of EU distribution is available in its EU developer documentation.
Apple’s security and commercial conditions
Apple says opening iOS to alternative marketplaces increases exposure to malware, scams, piracy and privacy violations. It therefore retains marketplace authorization, notarization, installation disclosures and other controls under its EU terms.
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- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Those terms also affect whether a competing store is commercially viable:
| Condition | Apple’s stated EU terms | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 10% or 17% under the alternative terms | The rate depends on the applicable business arrangement and is not a finding that the model is lawful or economical for every developer. |
| Payment processing | Optional 3% fee for qualifying App Store transactions | This is separate from the commission rate. |
| Core Technology Fee | €0.50 for each first annual install per year over one million for high-volume apps under the alternative terms; marketplace developers have separate exposure for each first annual install, including before the one-million threshold. | A high-volume marketplace can incur per-install costs even when its own revenue per user is low. |
Apple’s figures and conditions are described in its official EU alternative-distribution documentation. Approval is also not the same as App Store listing: a notarized marketplace can distribute software without appearing in Apple’s App Store catalog.
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- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
How the Epic–Apple dispute reached this point
Epic’s conflict with Apple began well before the DMA. In 2020, Epic added a payment option to Fortnite that bypassed Apple’s rules, prompting Apple to remove the game and leading to litigation over commissions and control of iOS distribution. The argument later broadened from payment fees to whether Apple should control all software distribution on its devices. The Associated Press provides background on the dispute.
Timeline: account termination to EU launch
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Epic bypassed Apple’s Fortnite payment rules, triggering the wider legal dispute. |
| March 6–8, 2024 | Apple terminated Epic Games Sweden AB’s developer account. After European Commission scrutiny, Apple committed to reinstating it; Epic reported the reversal on March 8. Epic’s update is here. |
| June 2024 | Epic submitted Epic Games Store and Fortnite for Apple’s EU notarization process. |
| July 5, 2024 | Epic said Apple had rejected the marketplace twice over the “Install” button and “In-app purchases” label. |
| July 5, 2024 | Apple approved the marketplace after the disputed controls were changed, according to contemporaneous reporting. |
| August 16, 2024 | Epic Games Store and Fortnite launched for iPhone and iPad users in the EU. |
What the episode meant for users
For users in supported EU markets, the practical result was access to Epic Games Store and Fortnite through Apple’s alternative-distribution system. Installation still involves Apple’s disclosure and permission screens, marketplace authorization and compatible iOS or iPadOS software, so it is not identical to tapping “Get” in the App Store.
- EU availability does not imply worldwide iPhone availability.
- Users outside the EU cannot rely on the DMA route, including users in the United Kingdom.
- Marketplace approval does not automatically approve every Epic app, Fortnite update or future title.
- Epic’s store is not necessarily free of Apple charges because the alternative terms include the Core Technology Fee and other conditions.
Why the rejection still mattered after approval
The approval resolved the immediate installation question but left the larger policy dispute intact. Epic saw Apple’s review as evidence that a platform can comply formally with alternative-store rules while retaining substantial control over a competitor’s design, authorization and economics. Apple presented the same controls as necessary safeguards for users.
The conflict therefore sits between security review and competitive neutrality: Apple must protect users from harmful software, while rivals need predictable, non-discriminatory access to iOS customers. The European Commission has separately investigated Apple’s steering and alternative-app-store rules; its published materials include 2024 preliminary findings and an April 2025 update. Those proceedings are distinct from a final ruling on Epic’s July 5 design complaint.
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Apple did reject Epic Games Store’s EU notarization submission twice on July 5, 2024, according to Epic, over interface details that Epic considered standard industry language. Apple then approved the marketplace after changes, and Epic launched it with Fortnite in the EU on August 16. The episode was significant because it tested whether DMA-enabled alternative distribution would be genuinely open or remain subject to Apple’s review standards, installation controls and fees—but it did not end with Apple blocking Epic’s store.
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