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Fortnite Returns to iPhones in Europe Amid Big Tech Scrutiny

By  |  August 18, 2024

Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular video games, is set to return to iPhones across Europe and Android devices worldwide, four years after being removed from Apple and Google’s app stores. The return marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing antitrust battle between Epic Games and the tech giants, influenced heavily by new European regulations.

According to The Financial Times, Fortnite’s reappearance on these platforms coincides with the launch of Epic Games’ own mobile app store, a development seen as a direct challenge to the dominance of Apple and Google. This move underscores the impact of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates that digital “gatekeepers” like Apple and Google open their platforms to rival app stores and payment systems.

Epic Games’ CEO, Tim Sweeney, has hailed the DMA as a turning point, stating, “the tide is turning,” as both Apple and Google face increasing pressure from regulators and courts globally. The return of Fortnite to iPhones, along with other popular Epic Games titles such as Fall Guys and Rocket League Sideswipe, is set to shake up the mobile gaming landscape, with these games now available not only through the new Epic Games Store but also via alternative app stores like Aptoide and AltStore, which have gained traction in Europe following the DMA’s introduction.

Apple, in response to these regulatory changes, noted that the DMA required the company to enable new capabilities for developers in the EU, emphasizing their efforts to balance ease of use with privacy and security concerns. Google, however, has yet to comment on the situation.

Read more: Epic Games v. Apple: A Case Summary

Despite its removal from major app stores in 2020, Fortnite has maintained its popularity, particularly on consoles. Data from Ampere Analysis reveals that in July, 35 million players logged more than 600 million hours on Xbox and PlayStation, making Fortnite “the biggest game on those consoles by far,” according to Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at the research group.

The initial removal of Fortnite and other Epic Games titles from the App Store and Play Store in August 2020 stemmed from Epic’s legal battle with Apple and Google over what it claimed were monopolistic practices. Epic had bypassed the mandatory in-app billing systems on these platforms, sparking a lawsuit and the subsequent ban of its games.

Per The Financial Times, the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which came into effect earlier this year, is designed to curb the market power of digital gatekeepers. The legislation includes provisions to open mobile operating systems to rival app stores and alternative distribution and payment methods. Companies were required to comply with these new rules by March, and failure to do so could result in fines of up to 10 percent of their global revenue.

As the EU continues to scrutinize Apple and Google’s compliance with the DMA, critics, including Spotify, have voiced concerns over Apple’s new fee structure in the EU, which they argue could discourage developers from exploring alternative distribution channels. Epic Games, too, has criticized the process required to install its Epic Games Store on iOS and Android, describing it as “intentionally poor-quality,” with multiple steps and confusing settings designed to deter users.

Source: The Financial Times

Fired FTC Commissioners Warn of Potential White House Influence Over Mergers Fired FTC Commissioners Warn: White House Mergers Influence

Fired FTC Commissioners Warn of Potential White House Influence Over Mergers

By  |  March 20, 2025

President Donald Trump has dismissed two Democratic FTC commissioners, sparking concerns about the agency’s ability to regulate major corporate mergers. According to NBC News, the commissioners, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, had been active in scrutinizing mergers and antitrust issues under the Biden administration and now worry their removal could open the door for politically motivated decisions.

The White House did not respond to an emailed inquiry regarding the commissioners’ warnings, but spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated that Trump has the legal authority to make such personnel decisions. “President Trump has the lawful authority to manage personnel within the executive branch. President Trump will continue to rid the federal government of bad actors unaligned with his common sense agenda the American people decisively voted for,” Rogers said in an emailed statement, per NBC News.

The FTC, established in 1914 to combat monopolies, traditionally operates with five members—three from the president’s party and two from the opposition. Although it falls under the executive branch, it has historically functioned independently. With the recent firings, it remains unclear who, if anyone, will fill the now-vacant seats.

Slaughter and Bedoya told NBC News that their removal could allow the administration to influence regulatory decisions, particularly in cases where major corporate mergers involve political allies of the president. “A lot of what commissioners can do is blow the whistle,” Bedoya noted, emphasizing that they no longer have a platform to publicly challenge potential conflicts of interest.

Slaughter voiced concerns about the FTC’s ability to prevent monopolistic behavior in the absence of bipartisan oversight. “What we can do as members of the opposition party and the minority party is provide accountability and transparency to that decision-making in the worst-case scenario,” she said. “When the FTC works at its best is when you develop bipartisan consensus around policies.”

According to NBC News, both former commissioners fear that Trump’s decision to remove them could ultimately weaken the agency’s regulatory power, particularly when it comes to blocking mergers that could harm competition. Slaughter pointed out that the FTC is currently engaged in litigation against several major corporations, some of whose executives attended Trump’s inauguration.

Trump’s inauguration was notable for the presence of prominent industry leaders, including Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and X owner Elon Musk, who now oversees the controversial Department of Government Efficiency. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did not attend but has publicly extended support to Trump, with Microsoft donating $1 million to the inauguration fund. Other tech giants, including Google, Meta, and Amazon, also contributed financially, while Musk personally donated over $20 million to Trump’s campaign.

Related: Trump Fires Two Democratic FTC Members, Raising Questions Over Regulatory Independence

Under Biden, Slaughter and Bedoya actively opposed mergers they believed could stifle competition and harm consumers. Bedoya specifically warned about the risk of undue influence. “Let’s say there’s a merger, and one of the president’s donors has a stake in that merger. In a world where the president can fire anyone at any time, there’s going to be a call from the White House to the FTC saying, you know, ‘Hey, I like this merger. This one’s a good one. Why don’t you let this one go through?’” he said.

NBC News reports that Ferguson later addressed the issue publicly, affirming his belief in Trump’s legal authority to remove commissioners. Posting on X, he stated, “President Donald J. Trump is the head of the executive branch and is vested with all of the executive power in our government. I have no doubts about his constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for our government. The Federal Trade Commission will continue its tireless work to protect consumers, lower prices, and police anticompetitive behavior.”

Source: NBC News