Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Demanded Sales Information on 30,000+ Games From Steam in Ongoing Lawsuit With Epic Games
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Apple rejects Steam Link game streaming app over 'business conflicts' in 2018, so clearly Steam now can says same reason this time.
You just made my case as to why I would rather have all my apps available in one App Store, rather than having them fragmented amongst multiple different storefronts.
Where is that game? Oops, I bought it again. Or oops, that store had it cheaper but they don't have it for the Mac (lots of games like that on Epic, while Steam has the Mac version too).
Apple thinking that Valve out of all companies is going to provide any information to support a company attempting to continue it's aggressive monopolistic distribution practices is HILARIOUS.
Do they know know of the history of steam on Windows at all? ?
Do they know know of the history of steam on Windows at all? ?
Yeah and if Epic wasn’t trying to win an un-winnable case, this request wouldn’t have even been made.
Valve has the exact same monopoly though. Apple has a monopoly on and complete control of the App Store, Valve has a monopoly on and complete control of Steam! Come to think of it, Epic Games has a monopoly on the Epic Games Store, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!?
You're understanding of the lawsuit.
The store is not the lawsuit but the OS platform that doesn't allow other stores.
Last edited:
Presumably the lawyers are not looking at this information for academic interest, they will be wanting to use the information they glean in the pleadings in the case, which Apple and Epic will certainly see (and which may well also become public - that won't be in Valve's control).
Apple may be once removed from direct access to the spreadsheets or whatever (assuming you are correct as to how the process would work), but I cannot see how Apple can be entirely divorced from gaining insight from that data, otherwise what would be the point of the whole exercise?
Another thing to consider is lock in. If you buy an app that's available on another platform and store system, you have to buy that software again (usually) if you move from iOS to Android for example. One solution here is to "encourage" Apple and Google (and the others) to further encourage software makers to treat a purchase as a purchase no matter where it's made. Then the problem is closer to solved as all of the stores would have cross-buy between platforms. Maybe?
This does not solve the issue from a development perspective. To get the Xbox branded physical case, and to get actually on the Xbox system to begin with you still need to pay Microsoft. It is actually cheaper digitally than physically. Like I have always said, I would love to create educational Xbox games and just release them on my website for download. But this is not possible as side loading is not allowed on Xbox.
Super valid point. The curation process is the root of the problem. App Store owners want to curate and control quality, and allowing a "legal" (re ToS) process for loading apps would circumvent that control. Is access to the audience worth the cost of playing the game? What are the fees, do you know off hand?
Seriously, I find it absolutely difficult to know what streaming service offers what show. I don't want it to be like this for games or apps. I have to use Justwatch website to know if its on Hulu, Disney, iTunes, Netflix, CBS, whatever whatever.
Not the same at all. Valve developed steam on a platform where others can also compete for customers.
they tried with steam machines and failed miserably
I am on Apple's side in the lawsuit against Epic but I am struggling to connect the dots on the subpoena against Valve. Several post have mentioned that Epic drew Valve / Steam into the disagreement with some statement they made but I have not read about that so I will have to look it up. On the surface, I don't understand why Apple is demanding sensitive info from Valve but I need to dig in further to try to understand it.
They do, though - very much so. Dominant market position equates to the same - it's called a natural monopoly. Just ask pre-1983 AT&T about that, or De Beers Diamonds. Both have "competitors" and both were (and are, for De Beers' case) monopolies. Valve also maintains a Most Favored Nations clause so they get the best terms with publishers across the board.
Much like other OS platforms that don’t allow other stores. This won’t win primarily because of what it means not only for the Apple Store but for any other stores in any market.
No, exactly the same. Valve owns and controls everything that happens on their store, Apple does the same. EVERY company owns and controls the products they create.