Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#721

Post by docv » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:40 AM UTC

oneplane wrote: post #20

Not sure why people are surprised or consider it giant news. > The court recommended that Epic follow the App Store’s guidelines and policies while the case is in progress – the rules they followed over the past ten years until they created the current situation themselves. Epic refused. Well duh, this is a show match court fight of Epic Games not liking the rules and not getting the special treatment they want. No m…

Now that you can play Fortnight on iOS and on the console is it fair that Apple can force Epic to a sell vbucks through its App Store because the game exists on iOS?

I'm stepping out on a limb and saying Apple is going to end up settling with Epic so they don't have to host competing App Stores.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#722

Post by eqtn » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:44 AM UTC

Fej wrote: post #357

notfried wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t need apps on my iPhone to do 100% of all things that apps can do. I am fine with some restrictions, so long as there’s enough reliability, consistency, privacy and security. If there are alternate app stores, I am sure others would make their apps exclusive there and demand you download them through these stores: 1. Facebook will want a store that allows them to build an app that has no ad or data collection…

But Android exists, and has multiple noteworthy alternative app stores (including, relevant here, the Epic Games App) and this has not come to pass; every mass-market app is on the Google Play Store, excepting now Fortnite. Epic previously tried to build out a Fortnite playerbase on Android outside of the Play Store and was unsuccessful in drawing in players, so they had to upload it to the Play Store (which has now…

What if Apple/Google is forced to distribute the alternative stores via the app store/play store?

The reason why the Fortnite outside Play store failed is because the user has to donwload the apk and toggle the installation from unknown sources.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#723

Post by Abishek_Muthian » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:44 AM UTC

A neutral news source detailing the arguments from both sides would have been better fit for HN. This one reads like Apple press statement until, actual Apple press statement is featured.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#724

Post by dang » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:48 AM UTC

alexashka wrote: post #642

nodamage wrote: post #630

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The remedy in this scenario is to simply not buy Amazon fridges, not have the government step in and force Amazon to change its fridges. Legal intervention should not occur unless Amazon was the only fridge seller in the world.

You've described a monopoly. Please google duopoly now. Also feel free to familiarize yourself with this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Tech_Employee_Antitrust_L... By your logic, companies should be able to price fix and collude in any way they see fit because it's more than one company. Facepalm .

Would you please stop posting in the flamewar style? We've had to ask you many times. The snark here is not cool, and you've crossed into personal attack and did it again in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24313573. We ban accounts that do these things. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd appreciate it.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#725

Post by eqtn » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:51 AM UTC

coronadisaster wrote: post #699

beginning of the end... next thing you'll be able to own your phone.

As per apple's terms, you own your phone i think. Just not the iOS

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#726

Post by uberduper » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:53 AM UTC

sabujp wrote: post #664

lstroud wrote: post #651

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can’t Epic build their own phone? Are their barriers to entry that Apple has put in place to prevent them from building and selling a phone?

surely you jest. Has samsung been able to get a flagship phone sold without android?

Samsung made phones before Android existed.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#727

Post by eqtn » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 5:58 AM UTC

The precedent that would set if the Apple/Google is forced to distribute alternative app stores via App Store/Play store. No downloading the apk and turning on installation from Unknown Sources to install it. This would also enable alternative stores on Xbox/PlayStation/Nintento etc. Steam inside Epic Games store and vice versa

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#728

Post by 2rmm » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 6:01 AM UTC

Could this be a half-proxy war between Google and Apple? If Apple has to allow other app stores, who is preventing those other stores from installing web browsers that are not Safari-based?

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#729

Post by mrtksn » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 6:02 AM UTC

bioipbiop wrote: post #348

mrtksn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wish every damn micro transaction app gets removed one day. What’s the alternative? I’m in love with the micro transactions model because the alternative is experience destroyed by ads or high upfront fees. On the games I play I rarely buy anything, don’t see ads but their business is healthy and the games are fantastic and regularly updated with new content. I casually play Asphalt 9, SimCity BuildIt and PUBG, p…

I can say quite confidently that micro transactions ruined sim city build it. They slathered the game with a massive amount of grind, it really only has a minor thematic similarity to the rest of the franchise.

I played the game for a year straight, just once spent something like $5 because I wanted an item that was about to expire an I was out of resources. Never felt like I had to pay to “win”. I never played the rest of the franchise though, enjoyed this one until I felt like I am spending too much time on a game and quit.

Re: Apple Terminates Epic Games' Developer Account

#730

Post by aftergibson » Sat, Aug 29, 2020, 6:03 AM UTC

esrauch wrote: post #244

aftergibson wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This openness ideology hardly extends to the under the table exclusivity deals Epic Store has with a number of titles?

That seems meaningfully different. The openness here is you own a piece of hardware, another company wants to sell you software to run on your hardware; can that two-party interaction complete without an adversarial third party being involved? The answer to that question on iOS is a "strong no", on Android it's a "yes, but". On PC that answer is yes regardless if the actions of Epic Store.

Independent of the Epic Vs Apple debate, I’m merely stating that it’s somewhat hypocritical to claim someone is ideologically open while at the same time they take actions to lock down purchases to the Epic platform only.