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Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

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Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#341

Post by mmcconnell1618 »

donor20 wrote: post #25
elliekelly wrote: post #12

What is Apple’s end game here? It seems like they’re fighting a losing battle and digging their own antitrust grave. Pretty clever on Epic’s part to specifically highlight how Apple’s app store fee hits the user directly. Pretty short-sighted of Apple to immediately pull an app for providing consumers with additional disclosure about where their money is going.

Good lord - on HN the monopoly comments are so crazy sometimes. What is the monopoly issue Apple has? Use android if you don't like Apple's product line. Apple is at 22% share.

iPhone has just under 50% in the United States. The 22% share is globally. So in a US court, their would be an argument for monopoly (or duopoly).

https://www.statista.com/statistics/266572/market-share-held....

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#342

Post by amrrs »

nostrademons wrote: post #206
xoxoy wrote: post #8

Fortnite of course expected this: seems like they’ve prepared a short video mocking Apple’s old super bowl ad 1984 to premiere in an hour https://twitter.com/fortnitegame/status/1293984290326433792?...

They also just filed a lawsuit (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24147486 ). The strategist in me thinks that Epic Payments is a provocation rather than a product, they've been in touch with state attorney generals about Apple's antitrust situation, and the real goal is to get that lawsuit out, bring the antitrust hammer down on Apple, and maybe get some free PR and marketing from the press cycle.

Just when the "Apple Fellow" Phil Schiller wanted to take some break, These recent App Store incidents starting from HEY will make it very very hard for him!

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#344

Post by Tehnix »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #309
Tehnix wrote: post #293

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, that’s not correct about gas stations. Having worked at one, we would check the prices of the two others on the same road once every hour. These numbers were reported into HQ, and a price adjustment would be made to be lower. It’s very competitive and people are willing to drive or wait until a different time of day to get a lower price. EDIT: Maybe I should have said: that’s at least not the case everywher…

This isn't practical without an electronic sign.

In all the parts of the world I’ve been in, I’ve never seen a gas station without an electronic sign?

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#345

Post by DuskStar »

calcifer wrote: post #190
moron4hire wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that $1mil lifetime revenue is a very low boundary. A very small consulting operation of 2 or 3 people could easily hit that in a year or two. A single freelancer could probably hit it in 4 or 5 years. It's easy to read "a million dollars!" And think "we're rich!", but running any business has a lot of overhead.

The limit is $1 million per app . How many games make more than $1 million throughout their lifetime? 99% of developers won't ever have a game earning that much.

At the same time, 99% of game revenue probably comes from games grossing more than $1m.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#346

Post by Vendan »

heavyset_go wrote: post #337
Vendan wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google gatekeeps by default but you can trivially bypass and install custom app stores or sideload apps. Apple gatekeeps, and does everything in its power to prevent you from bypassing that. Seems like a rather striking difference...

Third party app stores can't implement background installations, auto-upgrading, or batch installs because of the restrictions Google put in place on Android. Using third party app stores is hindered experience on Android. The Play Store can do background installations, auto-upgrading and batch installs of software, while competitors can't. That's anticompetitive behavior in my book.

I wasn't aware of all that, thanks, but I still think that Apple's stuff is a whole different ballgame.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#347

Post by lukeramsden »

shadowgovt wrote: post #265
Benjamin_Dobell wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Epic's platform is Unreal Engine. The key difference is Unreal Engine is not the only game engine. You can use another game engine and gain access to the exact same user base . You could certainly argue Epic Games have made anti-competitive plays. However, they're not stupid, they even fund their "competitors" https://gamefromscratch.com/godot-receives-epic-megagrant/ .

... and the Epic Game Store. They're setting themselves up for building precedent where in the future, an MMO uses EGS for distribution and bypasses the EGS payment model, and they won't have any legal teeth to challenge that without getting hit in the face with precedent they helped set. Which may actually be the plan, as the EGS isn't the only revenue feather in their cap. If they're fine taking that hit because th…

> They're setting themselves up for building precedent where in the future, an MMO uses EGS for distribution and bypasses the EGS payment model, and they won't have any legal teeth to challenge that without getting hit in the face with precedent they helped set

That's not the same at all, there's no devices that solely run the EGS, there's nothing stopping any game studio from taking their game to Steam, Origin, GOG, or even making their own.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#348

Post by nabla9 »

bengale wrote: post #340
nabla9 wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why I think it's up to the EU.

Still won’t be quick. EU has bigger things to deal with right now and even if they do pass something the ECJ would then be involved no doubt.

They don't have to pass new laws for this.

Epic could sue in some EU country or some European game developer might jump in.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#349

Post by lliamander »

60secz wrote: post #228
badwolf wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a more apt comparison would be... If a developer doesn't like Xbox's terms, there are other gaming platforms...

Game console to General computing device isn't exactly apples to apples. But yes, It'd be great if users could install unsigned apps on all the devices they own.

A game console is not general purpose computing device?

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#350

Post by s800 »

xoxoy wrote: post #141
molszanski wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't like every online "platform" take 30% cut? Google play, playstation store, steam, xbox store, nintendo store?

bad argument since Apple set the precedent and everyone else followed.

Negative on that. See Sony, MS, Nintendo gaming consoles.
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