Epic Games at war with Apple, Google over Fortnite

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/13/21366438/apple-fortnite-ios-app-store-violations-epic-payments

Apple has removed Epic Games’ battle royale game Fortnite from the App Store after the developer on Thursday implemented its own in-app payment system that bypassed Apple’s standard 30 percent fee

The decision marks a significant escalation in the feud between Epic and one of the world’s most dominant mobile software marketplaces. It also comes at an especially fraught time for Apple as the iPhone maker navigates antitrust concerns over its operation of the App Store and the rules it imposes on certain developers.

Following the removal, Epic revealed a carefully calculated series of responses, including an antitrust lawsuit seeking to establish Apple’s App Store as a monopoly and a protest video that aired on YouTube and within Fortnite itself mocking the iPhone maker’s iconic “1984” ad and calling on gaming fans to #FreeFortnite by supporting its fight against Apple.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/13/21368079/fortnite-epic-android-banned-google-play-app-store-rule-violation

Following its removal from the Apple App Store, Fortnite has also been kicked off of the Google Play Store for Android. Earlier today, Epic Games snuck in an update for both the iPhone and Android versions of the game that allowed users to pay Epic directly for in-app purchases instead of using the officially sanctioned system for both platforms.

What followed was a wild ride: Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store, then Epic sued Apple, and finally there was an in-game video parodying Apple’s own 1984 commercial, positioning Apple itself as the monopolist.

Now, Google is in the conversation. As with Apple, Google requires that games use the Google Play system for in-app purchases. Although the Play Store’s rules are somewhat more lax than Apple’s when it comes to in-app purchases, Google does draw the line at games. It’s quite clear-cut: “Developers offering products within a game downloaded on Google Play or providing access to game content must use Google Play In-app Billing as the method of payment.” Google’s system takes a 30 percent cut, just as Apple’s does.

Epic’s update earlier today ran afoul of that rule, and while Google took longer to make a decision to ban Fortnite over it than Apple, both companies reached the same conclusion.

With whom do you side?

[politicallefty]

I'm aware of this, but this wasn't the first time the issue has come up. It's just the first time a large enough entity has tried to stand up against the monopolistic/duopolistic practices that Apple and Google (I think others like Netflix and Spotify came to some other form of arrangement). The greed from these companies is really astounding when you think about, especially Apple (and I say that as someone that has bought into the iOS ecosystem even since the iPhone 4).

I can understand both sides of this to a certain extent (but much less Apple's and Google's), but a mandatory 30% fee is practically extortionist. This will work its way through the courts, as some issues already are. I'm hoping the results will be that Apple and Google are at least knocked down a few pegs.

[dead0man]

I'm aware of this, but this wasn't the first time the issue has come up. It's just the first time a large enough entity has tried to stand up against the monopolistic/duopolistic practices that Apple and Google (I think others like Netflix and Spotify came to some other form of arrangement). The greed from these companies is really astounding when you think about, especially Apple (and I say that as someone that has bought into the iOS ecosystem even since the iPhone 4).

I can understand both sides of this to a certain extent (but much less Apple's and Google's), but a mandatory 30% fee is practically extortionist. This will work its way through the courts, as some issues already are. I'm hoping the results will be that Apple and Google are at least knocked down a few pegs.

this is pretty much where I'm at too.  Certainly Google/Apple should be compensated for selling sh**t on their pervasive platforms, but 30%?  sheesh.  Some light Googling (doh!) tells me 30% is the industry standard (it's what Steam charges too), but that seems crazy high to me.