Epic Games Criticizes UK's Digital Markets Regulation, Fortnite Return Uncertain

Epic Games criticizes the UK's Digital Markets regulation, saying it's "vague" and will not allow the company to bring the Epic Games Store to iOS in the UK or return Fortnite to iOS. The CMA's announcement did not address anti-steering provisions and the company believes it will take years of "malicious compliance" to achieve real market competition. The company compares the UK's regulatory developments to recent ones in Brazil and Japan, which will allow Fortnite's return and the release of the Epic Games Store.

Epic Games has expressed dissatisfaction with the UK's Digital Markets regulation, claiming that it will not enable the company to bring the Epic Games Store to iOS in the UK or return Fortnite to the platform. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) designated Apple and Google with "strategic market status," subjecting them to specific regulatory obligations [1].

The CMA's announcement, released on July 23, 2025, includes measures such as allowing developers to direct users to alternative payment methods and increasing transparency in app store rankings. However, it did not address anti-steering provisions, which Epic Games considers crucial for real market competition. The company believes that without these provisions, Apple and Google could engage in "years of malicious compliance," similar to their actions in Europe [2].

Epic Games compares the UK's regulatory developments unfavorably to recent ones in Brazil and Japan, where Fortnite and the Epic Games Store are expected to return later this year. The company argues that the UK's approach is "vague" and does not adequately address the issues it raises [2].

Epic Games has called on the CMA to "re-examine these weak roadmap decisions," warning that Fortnite's return to iOS in the UK may be uncertain if the CMA does not prioritize opening the mobile ecosystem to alternative app stores [2].

References:

[1] https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/23/epic-games-fortnite-uk-cma-criticism/
[2] https://9to5mac.com/2025/07/23/epic-games-blasts-uks-vague-digital-markets-regulation-fortnite-return-uncertain/