Overview

• The CMA’s updated DMCC roadmap excludes third-party app stores and external payment systems on iOS, deferring those measures until 2026.
• Epic Games confirmed it cannot bring its store to UK iPhones this year and that Fortnite’s return to the UK App Store is now uncertain.
• A US court injunction in April 2025 mandated external payment links and the EU’s Digital Markets Act enabled Fortnite’s reinstatement via the Epic Games Store in Europe.
• Epic criticized the CMA for offering only vague payment-steering guidance and failing to block fees and obstructions that Apple imposed under the EU rules.
• With UK efforts stalled, Epic continues to press the CMA for tougher app store rules while advancing its launches in Brazil and Japan later this year.