European regulators are putting Apple under scrutiny after allegations surfaced from Epic Games, the developer behind the popular video game Fortnite, accusing the tech giant of blocking Epic Games’ efforts to establish its own app marketplace for iOS devices. This inquiry stems from potential violations of the European Union’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to break down the digital monopolies by allowing alternative app stores on platforms like the iPhone.

The heart of this controversy is Apple’s historical dominance in app distribution for iOS devices, a situation challenged by the DMA’s requirements for tech companies to open up their ecosystems to competitors. The European Commission is seeking responses from Apple concerning these allegations, with potential penalties on the horizon for any infractions of the EU’s regulations.

The conflict between Apple and Epic Games escalated after Apple terminated Epic’s developer account following its attempt to create a third-party app store for European users—a move that would capitalize on the DMA’s provisions for alternative app stores. Apple cited Epic Games’ “verifiable untrustworthiness” and past legal skirmishes as grounds for this decision. This blockade also impacts the return of Fortnite to iPhones, with Apple preventing its reinstatement due to Epic’s previous defiance of Apple’s payment system rules.

Epic Games has criticized Apple’s move as an obstruction to competition and a breach of the DMA, emphasizing the tech giant’s resistance to complying with the new EU regulations designed to ensure a more competitive and consumer-friendly digital market landscape. This confrontation follows a history of disputes, notably initiated when Epic Games introduced third-party payment options in Fortnite to circumvent Apple’s App Store fees, leading to Fortnite’s removal from the App Store in 2020.

As these legal battles continue, they underscore the broader challenge facing global tech giants in adapting to regulatory reforms aimed at curtailing their market power. With previous instances of the EU imposing significant fines on Apple for anticompetitive practices, the outcomes of this investigation could have substantial implications for both Apple and the ecosystem for app distribution on iOS devices. Meanwhile, UK users may find their access to services like Fortnite on Apple devices hindered, given the DMA’s jurisdiction is limited to EU member states.