Apple Won't Allow Fortnite Back in the App Store Until Legal Battle Ends Due to Epic's 'Duplicitous Conduct'

[dwsolberg]

Epic is definitely in it for the long haul. What I don't understand is Epic thinks sharing this information will bring people to their side.

 

[antiprotest]

Of course, we all spend a lot more time thinking about Fornite now than most of us ever did before. One man's law firm is another man's ad agency.

Except people can't play or update it on iOS so it's likely a net loss.

 

[alex2792]

I don't know why Epic ever raised this distinction to begin with-- think about it for 30 seconds and it's clearly absurd to anyone who understands business.

As a legal argument, that is. As a PR argument, their target market is 14 year olds who know **** all about how the world actually works and are more easily swayed by "stick it the man" arguments.

Uh, because it’s a huge distinction, obviously. A smartphone is pretty much a necessity in any developed country while a gaming console is not. Last time I checked, nobody’s banking or applying for jobs on a PS5.

 

[cmaier]

Epic is definitely in it for the long haul. What I don't understand is Epic thinks sharing this information will bring people to their side.

The last 5 years have shown me that making yourself the victim works to gain you at least some support, no matter how ridiculous your victimhood is.

I wonder whether Epic would do business with someone who broke a contract with it and then sued it.

 

[Wedlock]

Just this 😈

 

[TheKDub]

I think this is more about what rights a company has or doesn't. I don't think there is any ethical or moral or legal obligation for Apple to allow them in when they violently and purposely broke rules. If your neighbor kid comes into your house and sh**s on your sofa, I'm not sure you are under an obligation to allow him in - in the interest of 'non tribalism'.

I completely agree that the fight is about what rights a company has or doesn't have. I don't disagree with the fact that Apple has 100% control over it's own app store but I do think that there is a legit argument about where society draws the lines around monopolistic powers.

And my point about tribalism isn't about protecting your own property rights (with Apple's platform being Apple's property rights) which I full agree with, but around the increasing mentality of revenge, "winning" and hurting someone who "hurts" you back. Whatever stance you have for or against Epic, they had the right to sue Apple, and the outcome worked itself in court system. Yes, Apple has the right to do whatever it wants to do in their own app store, but I hope that these decisions are made for what's best for customers, and not simply to "get back at Epic" which is what some people are advocating for.

That's the point I was trying to make about tribalism.

 

[Analog Kid]

Uh, because it’s a huge distinction, obviously. A smartphone is pretty much a necessity in any developed country while a gaming console is not. Last time I checked, nobody’s banking or applying for jobs on a PS5.

And this matters to the argument for legal restrictions on the partitioning of revenue between hardware margins and licensing how?

 

[alex2792]

And this matters to the argument for legally restrictions on the partitioning of revenue between hardware margins and licensing how?

Yes, one is a specialized appliance, another is a general purpose computer in your pocket.

 

[mannyvel]

Uh, because it’s a huge distinction, obviously. A smartphone is pretty much a necessity in any developed country while a gaming console is not. Last time I checked, nobody’s banking or applying for jobs on a PS5.

There's nothing in this particular area of law that distinguishes between an electronic necessity and an electronic non-necessity In fact, it's arguable whether a smartphone is really a necessity or not.

I think you'd be surprised at how well you would be able to function without a smartphone.

 

[FreedomPenguin]

I completely agree that the fight is about what rights a company has or doesn't have. I don't disagree with the fact that Apple has 100% control over it's own app store but I do think that there is a legit argument about where society draws the lines around monopolistic powers.

And my point about tribalism isn't about protecting your own property rights (with Apple's platform being Apple's property rights) which I full agree with, but around the increasing mentality of revenge, "winning" and hurting someone who "hurts" you back. Whatever stance you have for or against Epic, they had the right to sue Apple, and the outcome worked itself in court system. Yes, Apple has the right to do whatever it wants to do in their own app store, but I hope that these decisions are made for what's best for customers, and not simply to "get back at Epic" which is what some people are advocating for.

That's the point I was trying to make about tribalism.

This is all that matters, its store, its rules, stay the hell out epic. Not welcomed here

 

[Arid]

The Tencent money must be really good for Tim Epic to tweet this foolishness with a straight face.

You mean CCP $$

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

This guy is like the trump of game developers.

 

[Analog Kid]

Except people can't play or update it on iOS so it's likely a net loss.

7% of Fortnite revenue came from iOS. There’s a reason they chose to pick this fight with Apple. They can easily make that revenue up if they can boost interest on other platforms even slightly.

 

[varsity]

Apple holding a monopoly on the App Store and then penalizing developers and other companies is not something to be cheering about. Regardless of what you “think” about Epic Games, Apple has proven to be too big and too powerful. This is one of many lawsuits Apple will be facing regarding their predatory App Store practices until it’s changed for the better. Y’all want fair wages increased in this country but also want big companies to crush the small guys. Zero logic.

 

[Analog Kid]

Yes, one is a specialized appliance, another is a general purpose computer in your pocket.

I asked “how?” and you answered ”yes”?

 

[Realityck]

This is not childish on Apple’s part at all. Apple’s lawyers, and Apple, rightfully fear that if Epic comes back into the store, Epic will use the opportunity to try some new tactic to try and hurt Apple’s case - they’ll do something else that is against the rules, but which seems, at first blush, like it should be ok, or they’ll try to develop new fact patterns that can be used in the litigation. Why on earth should Apple permit Epic to use Apple’s own infrastructure and products as weapons against Apple, which is something Epic has already done and which they appear ready to try again?

You certainly honed into the aspect of trust when broken badly, requires having to go through a fairly formal/thoughtful forgiveness process, not that you can just pretend things are normal now.

 

[Analog Kid]

You certainly honed into the aspect of trust when broken badly, requires having to go through a fairly formal/thoughtful forgiveness process, not that you can just pretend things are normal now.

You can be sure every company Epic deals with is reviewing their contract language to limit Epic’s ability to pull a stunt like this with them.

 

[jimbobb24]

It is interesting to see Apple continue to push this position, as it is only a matter of time before Apple is forced by legislators to allow other app stores such as the EU's digital markets act

And then we will look back on the current App Store as the golden age before it went to crap.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Good.

Epic management should know by now: play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[I7guy]

Yup, apparently Tim Cook isn’t very smart since Apple is pretty much carrying a flashing neon “regulate us now!” sign by pulling some new absurdly anticompetitive stunt daily.

The thing is this verdict strengthens apple position. Epic tried to defraud apple and now is coming to apple with their tail between their legs.

 

[I7guy]

The DOJ and FTC will have the last say and it won't be pretty.

I’m thinking they will have their say. And then all of this Anti-apple hubris will be ratcheted up as the verdict is returned: “no action needed”.

 

[davidako]

Good work Apple. Honesty and transparency should be promoted. On an unrelated topic, the US government should ban Apple from trading until it rectifies its duplicitous conduct with regard to international revenue and taxes.

 

[draig]

I would probably spend some cash on the Epic store just to show my support.

sucker

 

[davidako]

And then we will look back on the current App Store as the golden age before it went to crap.

More likely we will look back on it as Apple putting its profit margins ahead of vastly improved customer experience.

See also in about 2 years from now… “oh god, remember when Apple kept pushing it’s ancient decaying lightning port for the sake of royalties before it finally collapsed under large data loads and they accepted a full transition to USB?”

If you think the current App Store is anything but clickbait subscription garbage then you probably haven’t been using the App Store.

 

[alex2792]

I asked “how?” and you answered ”yes”?

That’s how, one is a general purpose computing device, the other isn’t. It’s like comparing a laptop and a smart fridge.