Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Calls Apple's App Store a 'Disservice to Developers'

[chrono1081]

What a stupid take. The App Store created an entire development ecosystem. Does he not remember what it was like before the App Store? Apparently not.

Tim Sweeny is becoming exhausting.

 

[crees!]

He’s just bitter.

 

[Coochie Boogs]

Tim Sweeney, please by all means create your own mobile platform, hardware, and App Store. No one is forcing you to use Apple devices. Stop being so whiny and entitled to someone else’s work for free.

 

[SoldOnApple]

Tim talks about freedom, but what he really wants is to be able to have an EPIC game shop/launcher on every iPhone, Android, iPad, Xbox, and Playstation without paying any platform holders anything, so he can make money off selling games through EPIC. 12% of each game sold is undercutting Steam/Nintendo/Apple/Microsoft's 30%, but EPIC doesn't have the marketshare to build their own monopoly and that 30% fee plus EPIC's 12 fee leaves just 58% for game publishers/developers.

And Steam is limiting EPIC's potential for growth by forcing publishers selling through Steam to not sell games for less than the Steam price anywhere else, which completely neuters EPIC's undercutting in the industry from the consumer point of view.

Tim Sweeney could build himself a gaming empire/monopoly worth hundreds of billions with the Unreal Engine and EPIC, if only he could put EPIC on every phone, tablet, and console in the world without paying the actual platform holders anything for it. Tim Sweeney is the most self interested party of them all in this "debate" and you should take anything he says about it with a grain of salt.

 

[Fousthvk]

Man think if you had to go into Target and you were only allowed to buy things from Target. I’m glad they crushed that monopoly and I can buy things from Walmart inside Target!!

 

[hcherry]

“A disservice?!” What is the color of the sky in this guys world? The secure App Store is the greatest contribution to economic prosperity in history. He makes absolutely no sense and sounding ridiculous now.

Falling. The color of the sky [in his world] is “falling”

 

[I7guy]

[...]

I really don't understand why people are defending Apple so fervidly on this topic. It's really not good for anyone that Apple takes such a large cut (same goes for Google, etc. of course). It's not good for developers, it's not good for you as the consumer. It's only good for Apple.

I don't understand how people don't understand how easy and cheap it is to make money. Yes, you need some acumen and technical knowledge. But devs have become lazy and ungrateful and can't understand how these devs think.

All of you people always complain about Apple's prices for their devices being too high (Studio Display, Airpods Max, etc.), but at the same time you're all going head over heels to defend Apple's taking 30% of every transaction.

"You people", you take some made up universe of people who you can't identify, and then use them to form some fake criticism of Apple. Perfect internet debating technique!

 

[somnolentsurfer]

Apple 'deserve' to make a profit from their hardware, Tim? Why do you think people buy Apple hardware? Personally, part of the reason (and a large part of the reason I recommend it to technical novices) is that it's extremely hard to be tricked or manipulated into installing malware. You're trying to deprive me me of that choice.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This guy Tim Sweeney likes to dig a hole for himself. I think he just likes to whine. Shouldn’t have messed with Apple, dude.

 

[funkyfresh]

"But then they force all buyers of their smartphones to use their app store exclusively for obtaining digital content."

That is a complete distortion of the truth. Safari on iOS is used to obtain digital content and Progressive Web Apps are also available.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

Tim Sweeney's game store is a disservice to developers and gamers.

 

[MacLawyer]

I guess the users don't matter to Mr. Sweeney.

 

[RickDEGH]

One Tim is a disservice to developers.
Another Tim is a disgrace to developers.
?

 

[Wildkraut]

First, let companies choose how they want to build and distribute products. Then, let consumers and partners choose the products and services they value.

The end.

No, the start of a lawsuit.

 

[falkon-engine]

The EU agrees and is about to force Apple to allow alternative app stores to set up shop in iOS land.

 

[Alessiot]

The argument that the App Store has helped a lot of developers and the argument that Apple's cut is to high are not mutually exclusive.

Once a certain fraction of all software globally is sold over your platform and you reach an overwhelming market power (a point that Apple and Google have passed a long time ago), you have to accept the responsibility that comes with it. You're not just responsible to your shareholders. You don't get to keep 30% of every transaction ever made just because you own the platform.

Before the App Store, taking 30% of anything as a digital platform was unthinkable. Imagine if Microsoft had done the same with Windows. Imagine if VISA and MasterCard took 30% of every transaction just because they provide the platform. Everything would be a lot more expensive for consumers only for a handful of corporations to get even richer.

It's just greedy, plain and simple.

I really don't understand why people are defending Apple so fervidly on this topic. It's really not good for anyone that Apple takes such a large cut (same goes for Google, etc. of course). It's not good for developers, it's not good for you as the consumer. It's only good for Apple.

All of you people always complain about Apple's prices for their devices being too high (Studio Display, Airpods Max, etc.), but at the same time you're all going head over heels to defend Apple's taking 30% of every transaction.

I agree with you and disagree xbox and ps stores also take 30% but everyone is attacking apple. in reality 30% is a large percentage but it seems industry standard. im also for more competition so the ability to use alternate app stores is a good thing obviously at users risk and choice.

 

[ggibson913]

The argument that the App Store has helped a lot of developers and the argument that Apple's cut is to high are not mutually exclusive.

Once a certain fraction of all software globally is sold over your platform and you reach an overwhelming market power (a point that Apple and Google have passed a long time ago), you have to accept the responsibility that comes with it. You're not just responsible to your shareholders. You don't get to keep 30% of every transaction ever made just because you own the platform.

Before the App Store, taking 30% of anything as a digital platform was unthinkable. Imagine if Microsoft had done the same with Windows. Imagine if VISA and MasterCard took 30% of every transaction just because they provide the platform. Everything would be a lot more expensive for consumers only for a handful of corporations to get even richer.

It's just greedy, plain and simple.

I really don't understand why people are defending Apple so fervidly on this topic. It's really not good for anyone that Apple takes such a large cut (same goes for Google, etc. of course). It's not good for developers, it's not good for you as the consumer. It's only good for Apple.

All of you people always complain about Apple's prices for their devices being too high (Studio Display, Airpods Max, etc.), but at the same time you're all going head over heels to defend Apple's taking 30% of every transaction.

I remember when I order to make money as a software developer, you had to put together a resume and go job hunt. Even then, only a lucky few got to work on stuff they wanted to work on. The model allows devs to host and sell their work, Apple hosts the app, takes care of the payment and cuts you a check. Seems fair to me. Were I to sell something retail, I would have to pay rent for the store and the landlord doesn’t handle any of the financial transactions.

 

[erikkfi]

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has called Apple's App Store, which has helped app makers earn over $260 billion since its launch, a "disservice to developers" that forces them to treat their apps as "sub-par."

Thats some high-quality editorializin' right there in the opening sentence. I guess I won't think for myself about the relative pros and cons of having a locked down application ecosystem, because developers have earned $260 billion from the 70% of App Store sales they're allowed to keep!

 

[webkit]

Okay, don’t use it then, Tim.

That's almost like telling computer makers not to build/sell machines that can run Windows or software developers not to make software for Windows.

 

[webkit]

Luckily the app store is for the customers, not for the developers.

It's for customers, developers and Apple.

 

[cocky jeremy]

I gotta hand it to Epic/Tim Sweeney, the amount of energy and resources they’ve invested into battling Apple through the court system, money spent on attorneys and litigation is mind boggling. It’s a losing battle that just won’t turn in their favor, even if they have a valid point about Apple’s App Store.

There is no valid point.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

The App Store has a lot of issues but this guy is a total fraud

First it was the Windows Store, then it was Steam and now it’s the App Store
There’s no storefront he won’t feel threatened by and treat like it’s the end of the world as we know it.

 

[DJC631]

EPIC made Fortnite, I don't think their opinion matters much

 

[infinitejest]

This guy really is the most annoying person on the internet.
If you don't like the App Store, don't put your apps on there. It really is as simple as that.

 

[Icy1007]

No worry Tim Sweeney, that monopoly will come to an end soon, at least in the EU. ?

There is no monopoly. Apple isn’t going to allow other App Stores on iOS in the EU or anywhere.