Brussels: an official said that EU Industry Chief Thierry Breton had instructed regulators to investigate the dispute between Apple and Fortnite creator Epic Games on priority on Thursday.
Breton referred to the newly enforced Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to curb the dominance of large tech gatekeepers. The rules disallow such platforms from coercing or silencing developers.
In a statement on networking platform X, Breton said, “Under the DMA, there is no room for threats by gatekeepers to silence developers. I have asked our services to look into Apple’s termination of Epic’s developer account as a matter of priority.”
His remarks came as DMA came into effect, requiring fairer practices from Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others. Non-compliance could attract heavy fines for the Big Tech firms.
The directive signals intensifying EU scrutiny over Apple’s tight control of its app marketplace, where it removed Epic’s popular Fortnite video game in August 2020.
Observers say the probe assumes significance when Europe challenges the outsized influence wielded by US-based corporations.
