Epic vs Apple and Google: Who are you rooting for?

[kitler53]

Epic is now in open battle with Apple.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/13/21367963/epic-fortnite-legal-complaint-apple-ios-app-store-removal-injunctive-relief

Game developer and publisher Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Apple following the removal of the iOS version of its battle royale game Fortnite from the App Store earlier today.
The legal complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to establish Apple's App Store as a monopoly, and the civil suit is seeking injunctive relief to "allow fair competition" in mobile app distribution. Epic effectively provoked Apple's removal of Fortnite earlier today when it implemented its own payment processing system into the iOS version of the battle royale hit, an apparent violation of Apple's App Store guidelines.
"Epic brings this suit to end Apple's unfair and anti-competitive actions that Apple undertakes to unlawfully maintain its monopoly in two distinct, multibillion dollar markets: (i) the iOS App Distribution Market, and (ii) the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market(each as defined below)," the complaint reads.

i'm really not sure i fully grasp what is at stake here.  also i kind of hate both companies.   ..but i think i'm rooting for apple.   

I'm not always a fan of a locked ecosystem but at the same time i'm not against the existence of a locked ecosystem.  I mean, I think apple's 30% cut of all sales is fundamentally unfair but as a lawsuit i think this would reverberate far beyond just apple in ways i don't think is a good thing.

[Legend]

Rooting against Apple.

As you said, locked ecosystems should be able to exist. Apple should have the right to not allow software they don't want. The problem though is that iOS is functionally identical to a web browser when it comes to server powered apps.

On top of that, Apple has no problems allowing full web browsers on their store. What is the difference between visiting a website and using their app? Just user convenience?


Apple imo either needs to actually lock down their system, or function like Windows+Steam.

[Legend]

https://vimeo.com/447590857

Spoof off of Apple's 1984 ad.

[the-pi-guy]

This Apple-Epic battle is interesting.

Apple charges 30% of in-game purchases for games played on its phones, and charges 15% for subscriptions (think newspapers or Spotify). /1

— Michael Pachter (@michaelpachter) August 13, 2020

[Legend]

BREAKING: Epic has filed suit against Google as well pic.twitter.com/ldlTVpkUso

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) August 14, 2020

[kitler53]

i feel like epic is going to regret this play...

[Xevross]

I'm not a fan of any of these companies so I'll happily watch them waste money against each other.

[Legend]

Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020

[Xevross]

Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020

This is way more entertaining than it really should be.

[Legend]

I really hope Epic wins this. Apple is sucking so much.

[kitler53]

i hate them both.    ...but apple is making it hard not to hate them more right now.

[kitler53]

A follow-up tweet:

Epic says that included in the tools that Apple will revoke is the Unreal Engine that hundreds of third party developers use. "Apple’s actions will irreparably damage Epic’s reputation among Fortnite users and be catastrophic for the future of the separate Unreal Engine business"

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) August 17, 2020

that is some really messed up to also take down any game on iOS that uses epic's unreal engine.   like really a low blow to remove games from other developers that had nothing to do with this mess other than used a game engine...

[Xevross]

A follow-up tweet:

Epic says that included in the tools that Apple will revoke is the Unreal Engine that hundreds of third party developers use. "Apple’s actions will irreparably damage Epic’s reputation among Fortnite users and be catastrophic for the future of the separate Unreal Engine business"

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) August 17, 2020

that is some really messed up to also take down any game on iOS that uses epic's unreal engine.   like really a low blow to remove games from other developers that had nothing to do with this mess other than used a game engine...

Wow gee Epic looks like you, a multi billion dollar corporation, perhaps shouldn't have risked so much because of your greedy need to get a few million more.

Apple sucks, I really dislike Apple and will never buy a product of theirs, but seriously this is hilarious in how its backfiring for Epic so far. Plus the fact they tried to weaponise kids makes them more vile, so I'm enjoying it.

[Legend]

Wow gee Epic looks like you, a multi billion dollar corporation, perhaps shouldn't have risked so much because of your greedy need to get a few million more.

Apple sucks, I really dislike Apple and will never buy a product of theirs, but seriously this is hilarious in how its backfiring for Epic so far. Plus the fact they tried to weaponise kids makes them more vile, so I'm enjoying it.

Completely wrong take.  

Epic isn't the one being greedy here.

[Xevross]

Completely wrong take.  

Epic isn't the one being greedy here.

I, uh, what. They're both being super greedy, that's the whole point of this. Epic is the one that started this whole thing with trying to circumvent the industry standard 30% cut though, so its all on them.