Last week, Fortnite was removed from the App Store because Epic Games knowingly violated existing App Store guidelines. Now Apple is threatening to close all developer accounts.
Apple plans to terminate all of Epic Games' access to the App Store and the associated app development tools. The Fortnite developer has now announced this. The closure is set to take place on August 28th. This includes Epic's access to the development tools necessary for creating software for the Unreal Engine, which Epic offers to third-party developers for their games. In response, Epic has filed a court order asking a court in Northern California to prevent Apple from terminating access to the Epic App Store. The PDF:
“Step could have significant consequences”
Apple told Epic that until August 28, the company will block Epic's access to all development tools necessary to create software for Apple's platforms - including the Unreal Engine, which Epic offers to third-party developers who Apple has never claimed violated Apple's policies.
The shutdown of Epic's access to Mac and iOS developer tools could have a significant impact on all applications and games that use Epic's Unreal Engine. Cupertino said in its letter to Epic Games, in which the Company of the impending account closures, Epic said it can avoid having its access revoked by following Apple's App Store policies. Apple's letter states:
As we continue to review activities related to your Apple Developer Program membership, we have identified several violations of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Therefore, if the violations listed below are not remedied within 14 days, your Apple Developer Program account will be terminated.
If your membership is terminated, you will no longer be able to submit applications to the App Store and your remaining applications available for distribution will be removed. You will also lose access to the following programs, technologies and features:
– all Apple software, SDKs, APIs and developer tools
– Pre-release versions of iOS, iPad OS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS
– Pre-release versions of beta tools such as Reality Composer, Create ML, Apple Configurator, etc.
– Notification service for MacOS apps
– App Store Connect platform and support (e.g. help with account transfer, password reset, app name issues)
– Testflight
– Access to the provisioning portal for certificate generation and provisioning profile generation
– Ability to enable Apple services in the application (ie Apple Pay, CloudKit, PassKit, Music Kit, HomeKit, Push Notifications, Siri Shortcuts, Sign in with Apple, Kernel Extensions, FairPlay Streaming)
– Access to Apple-issued keys for connecting to services such as MusicKit, DeviceCheck, APNs, CloudKit, Wallet
– Access to Developer ID signing certificates and Kernel Extension signing certificates
– Technical support for developers
– Participation in the Universal App Quick Start Program, including the right to use the Developer Transition Kit (which must be returned to Apple)
– Engineering efforts to improve the hardware and software performance of Unreal Engine on Mac and iOS hardware; optimizing Unreal Engine on Mac for creative workflows, virtual sets, and their CI/build systems; and adoption and support of ARKit features and future VR features in Unreal Engine through their XR team
We hope that you can correct your violations of the Apple Program License Agreement and continue to participate in the program.
How the dispute between Apple and Epic Games came about
Now the game developer wants to take a court to stop Apple's plan. According to this, it should prevent the restriction, suspension or termination of Epic's access to the Apple Developer Program. In addition, the Fortnite developer wants to bring the popular game back to the App Store by court order. The dispute between Apple and Epic began last week when the Fortnite developer made a decision to ignore Apple's App Store rules and introduce a direct payment option for the currency in Fortnite. Epic wanted to bypass the prescribed in-app purchase system. In response, distant Apple removed the application from the App Store just a few hours later. Epic Games then filed a pre-planned lawsuit. How the whole thing will end remains exciting. It remains to be seen whether an agreement will be reached. It is not to be expected that Apple will give in and make an exception. (Image: Epic Games)
