Epic has requested that Apple restore its access to its developer tools so that it can re-release Fortnite on iOS at least in South Korea.
On the official Fortnite Twitter, the developer revealed that it has asked Apple to reinstate its App Store account and that it intends to offer “both Epic payment and Apple payment side by side in compliance with the new Korean law.”
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However, Apple stated in a statement that there is no legitimate reason for Epic’s account to be restored.
Epic has asked Apple to restore our Fortnite developer account. Epic intends to re-release Fortnite on iOS in Korea offering both Epic payment and Apple payment side-by-side in compliance with the new Korean law.
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) September 9, 2021
Epic’s App Store account was terminated by Apple in August 2020, shortly after the developer offered discounts on Fortnite’s V-bucks currency and other cash purchases if players avoided the App Store.
After that update, the tech giant quickly removed the battle royale game from its store, and Epic responded by suing Apple over its policies.
Epic also attempted to get a court to stop Apple from removing its developer tools, but it was unsuccessful, and Fortnite hasn’t been available to download on iOS since.
However, by the end of August this year, South Korea had passed legislation requiring major app stores to accept payment methods other than their own.
According to TechCrunch, the legislation has not yet taken effect, but even if it does, Korean authorities cannot compel Apple to reinstate or approve developer accounts under the law.
In a statement, the tech behemoth stated, “As we’ve said all along, we would welcome Epic’s return to the App Store if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else. Epic has admitted to breaching of contract and as of now, there’s no legitimate basis for the reinstatement of their developer account.”
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Apple recently changed its App Store policies to allow some developers to include external payment links in their applications. The change, however, only applies to apps for digital magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video, such as Spotify and Netflix.