Epic Games Asks Court to Allow Fortnite Back on the App Store

[bousozoku]

the only way to get  to change their greedy ways is to sue them in court. Fortnight is epic's sacrificial lamb to get the ball rolling.
This lawsuit isn't about epic getting a better cut in the app store but bringing to attention that the whole business model of the App Store is "illegal" and wrong. They're not suing just for them but also for the thousands of iOS developers who've been ripped off too.

So, the Google, Playstation, Xbox, and Steam stores are illegal, also?

I'm not saying that the 30% is good. I'd rather see 15% for all of them.

The only real problems I have with Apple is that they don't check things well enough and that they don't apply the rules evenly.

 

[cuencap]

The last thing I want is to have to download the Microsoft store to put outlook on my phone, the play store to put chrome and gmail on my phone, the Citrix store to put Workspace on my phone, the Facebook store to put FB and Insta on my phone. Just like everything on PC requires a different store. And if Epic wins, the iPhone will be just like this.

Don’t forgot the virus protection that would be needed

 

[Analog Kid]

They can say it as much as they want. Just not within the app.

Just like if i want to sell stuff in walmart, I can’t print on the package “walmart sucks!”

Or, "Buy direct and save!"

 

[kesennnnn]

The more I hear about Epic, the more I start to hate them.

Actually tho, tired of seeing their name show up.

 

[I7guy]

Personally, the issue isn't 30% or 15% or whatever. That Apple doesn't even allow a developer to redirect their customers to their own website to complete their subscription is the most problematic. That developers can't even SAY that the subscription fee is 30% more because of Apple's fees is seriously problematic and unarguably anticompetitive. I believe this will irk the courts the most, and is probably their strongest argument.

Only if the courts say it is.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

The more I hear about Epic, the more I start to hate them.

The more I hear about Apple's behaviour under Captain Crook, the more embarrassed I am to own Apple products.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

if i offered a free game on the Playstation store and tried to bypass Sony's cut, Sony would remove the app too. but Epic doesn't want to talk about that.

Don't be fooled, Apple is the thin edge of the wedge. Get a favourable ruling about Apple's store, and they will then get a favourable ruling on all of the monopolies. Epic have specifically chosen Apple to start with, because their Apple revenue is small compared to Playstation, Xbox, and PC games, and yet Apple are the biggest fish. You can be assured that there are a LOT of disgruntled developers that are secretly cheering Epic on.

 

[cmaier]

The more I hear about Apple's behaviour under Captain Crook, the more embarrassed I am to own Apple products.

Then stop owning them.

And he’s no crook.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

If only there was something epic could do to remediate this while the case moves forward..... guess we’ll never know /s

Seriously? If you can't see that this is a deliberate strategy being played by Epic, then you are blind. Apple are small time for Epic's revenue, but Apple are the biggest fish. By picking on Apple, they aren't losing much revenue, and yet if they win this one, they win everything.
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Poor babies!

The judge already ruled and they will lose this too. They know EXACTLY how to fix it. 70% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

They are playing the long game. And Apple is the small slice of the pie for Epic's revenue, and yet the biggest fish. Epic are playing a smart game.

 

[NM08SRT8]

Personally, the issue isn't 30% or 15% or whatever. That Apple doesn't even allow a developer to redirect their customers to their own website to complete their subscription is the most problematic. That developers can't even SAY that the subscription fee is 30% more because of Apple's fees is seriously problematic and unarguably anticompetitive. I believe this will irk the courts the most, and is probably their strongest argument.

they don’t need to allow it because it’s their store. Don’t like it, pound sand as they obviously are now.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Of course Sony would, but you as a developer could also sell that game via hundreds of other retailers - or even sell it yourself direct (such as Super Rare Games do).

I’m going to stop you there. If you sold your PS4 game at Beat Buy, Sony must still approve your game. Also, if you sold your PS4 game at Best Buy, Sony still takes a cut. Offering your games at retailers only means you give up more royalties because now you’re paying Sony and Best Buy for example. It’s not much different than offering your game on the PSN store except with the PSN store, you keep more of the cut.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Don't be fooled, Apple is the thin edge of the wedge. Get a favourable ruling about Apple's store, and they will then get a favourable ruling on all of the monopolies. Epic have specifically chosen Apple to start with, because their Apple revenue is small compared to Playstation, Xbox, and PC games, and yet Apple are the biggest fish. You can be assured that there are a LOT of disgruntled developers that are secretly cheering Epic on.

Epic isn’t “starting”. Epic has already mentioned they won’t be suing Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

 

[nordique]

Such third party stores exist already--Anyone unfamiliar with both Cydia and Installous?

not the issue. You can side load on android without a jailbreak.

Yet google is getting sued too...

 

[farewelwilliams]

Personally, the issue isn't 30% or 15% or whatever. That Apple doesn't even allow a developer to redirect their customers to their own website to complete their subscription is the most problematic. That developers can't even SAY that the subscription fee is 30% more because of Apple's fees is seriously problematic and unarguably anticompetitive. I believe this will irk the courts the most, and is probably their strongest argument.

Because all developers will do that and no one will pay 30% which will make the App Store a net loss for Apple

 

[farewelwilliams]

Comment section full of people who have their entire life savings in Apple stock desperately trying to justify Apple's anti-competitive behaviour.

stupid comment. apple’s developer resources far exceed any other platform i’ve ever developed with. paying 30% is worth it for indie developers given the benefits we get.

 

[nordique]

Game Theory, sponsored by Epic Games!

Hoeg Law has had some really interesting deep dives and they've got one on Epic's filing:

thank you for sharing this. Long video but a solid one. This gentleman really breaks down the issues in an easily digestible way. He points out strong and weak arguments on both sides and deconstructs the legal minutiae well

 

[farewelwilliams]

Have you heard of MacOS? It's an OS by Apple, the iPhone company, and it does exactly that.

have you heard of ransomware? it’s software by non-MAS developers, the malware guys, and it does exactly that.

 

[Terra Carney]

"daily iOS active users have already declined by over 60% since the app's initial removal from the ‌App Store‌"

View attachment 950616

What a shame. If only there was a simple solution to that problem...?

Maybe Apple not being a crap company

 

[farewelwilliams]

The more I hear about Apple's behaviour under Captain Crook, the more embarrassed I am to own Apple products.

great. you can always switch to Android. see? competition works.

 

[Analog Kid]

The more I hear about Apple's behaviour under Captain Crook, the more embarrassed I am to own Apple products.

 

[Terra Carney]

Also, somehow this turn from a situation of epic being mad that their app has to be on the App Store, and can’t be distributed otherwise, to them just wanting it back on the App Store. They don’t care anymore about apples rules, they just want to be back on the App Store because they’re not making any money

This could be used, if epic is smart, to force apple to allow third party app instalation on i devices. Without jail breaking their phones.

 

[Shanghaichica]

They sound very entitled. Apple doesn’t owe them a living. Apple don’t have to have any app on the App Store if they don’t want to.

 

[Icaras]

Delete

 

[cmaier]

Epic isn’t “starting”. Epic has already mentioned they won’t be suing Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

No they haven’t.

 

[Icaras]

The more I hear about Epic, the more I start to hate them.

LOL 7 out of 108 thumbs downed your post 😂