The conflict between Apple and Epic Games has taken on a new, acrimonious look. And now the feud is spilling over to iOS users.

Epic announced on Wednesday, March 6 that Apple has deemed Epic "untrustworthy" and suspended the company's developer accounts. This action means that Epic will no longer be able to release any games on iOS. The company had also planned to release the Epic Games Store on Apple's platform in the European Union, but that possibility is now gone. [By suspending Epic's developer accounts, Apple is eliminating one of its biggest potential competitors for the Apple App Store. And it shows other developers what happens when they try to compete with Apple or are critical of Apple's unfair practices."

Apple's decision comes as the European Union begins enforcing its Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations, which require Apple to allow third parties to offer their own app stores to iOS users. The move would loosen Apple's control over the EU app ecosystem.

Epic previously said it would launch its own game store for iOS in light of the DMA. The company also said it would revive Fortnite and offer it through its own store. Fortnite has not been offered on iOS since 2020.

But with Apple's latest move, Epic has no choice but to find an alternative. And that could dramatically change the way gamers get Epic's games.

As one of the most popular video games in the world, Fortnite's absence from iOS did not go unnoticed. However, due to the ongoing feud between Apple and Epic, it was thought that without the DMA, it would never return to Apple's platform.

As the DMA's enforcement date approached, Epic announced plans to launch its own app store in the EU and bring back Fortnite. Naturally, European users were excited.

However, the company now admits that it cannot unilaterally bring Fortnite to the platform due to Apple's ban. Nevertheless, Epic has stated that it will explore the possibility of offering Fortnite to iOS users through another third-party app store. It is unclear which specific app store.

Epic was under the impression that it could launch its own Epic Store on iOS. This move should have been a boon for mobile gamers who wanted to access Epic's powerful game repository and download titles without Apple's oversight.

However, now that Epic has lost its developer license, the Epic Store is also pulling out. Again, Epic could work with other app stores to make its games more readily available, but it is also unclear whether Apple could in any way block other titles available on other platforms.

It is no secret that Apple has maintained iron-clad control over iOS since its launch. Apple has argued that such control ensures security and improves the quality of cell phone use. However, its opponents say the move will only fill Apple's coffers and limit what developers can create.

The DMA paves the way for developers whose apps are not approved by Apple's App Store to instead try their luck in third-party marketplaces with more lax rules and regulations. It also allows for broader access to games and apps that Apple had previously banned.

However, Apple's decision to ban Epic raises questions about its ability to pull developer accounts from other third-party app stores and ban them from iOS as well. As of this writing, it is unclear how much control Apple has in shutting down third-party marketplaces and whether any attempts to circumvent the DMA by making similar claims to Epic could be called into question.

Has Apple found a loophole that prevents users from accessing third-party marketplaces? It is too early to tell, but it will be worth watching.

Let's be clear. -The feud with Epic currently only affects European users and companies regulated by the DMA. Therefore, US users cannot expect third-party app stores or for Epic to find a way to offer Fortnite to US users anytime soon.