Epic Games Store Lures EU Developers With Promise to Pay Apple Fees

[wbeasley]

So…. Why would I choose to get the game on Epic’s store instead of Apple’s? It’s already annoying when EA and Unisoft forces you to download their programs to play their games on the PC, etc. This seems like another hassle.

If Epic is so certain their games are a must have, develop a device and OS and infrastructure that is so compelling that people will pay thousands to buy into it...

oh? it's just a game/app? and barely worth $50 of your cash.

Epic overvalue their importance.
And are pathetic whingers.

 

[surferfb]

Buying an iPhone is like buying a house in a Homeowners’ Association. You know you’re giving up some freedom to have a “nicer” experience when you buy it. For some people that’s an absolute non-starter because the freedom to do what they want with their house is important to them, others like a neighborhood where the houses are similar and there are rules in place to prevent a weird neighbor from having three broken down cars in front of their house and newspapers taped to all the windows.

But if you buy a home in a HOA you can’t all of a sudden start complaining that they’re not letting you paint your house neon green. You knew the rules when you bought it. Same deal with iPhone.

 

[SpaceJello]

If Epic is so certain their games are a must have, develop a device and OS and infrastructure that is so compelling that people will pay thousands to buy into it...

oh? it's just a game/app? and barely worth $50 of your cash.

Epic overvalue their importance.
And are pathetic whingers.

They definitely overvalue their importance. They have 3 games listed as their own development: Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guy. The rest are the usual games you can get else where plus the shovelware. I doubt the it’s much different on iOS.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Buying an iPhone is like buying a house in a Homeowners’ Association. You know you’re giving up some freedom to have a “nicer” experience when you buy it. For some people that’s an absolute non-starter because the freedom to do what they want with their house is important to them, others like a neighborhood where the houses are similar and there are rules in place to prevent a weird neighbor from having three broken down cars in front of their house and newspapers taped to all the windows.

But if you buy a home in a HOA you can’t all of a sudden start complaining that they’re not letting you paint your house neon green. You knew the rules when you bought it. Same deal with iPhone.

The funny thing is I had this debate with my wife today; we went to see a house in a closed neighborhood & she loves it, but I can't stand the thought of not living in the middle of town, with traffic and people walking by and all of it. I'm pretty much the opposite in my preference for housing than in my preference for a phone

 

[AppleTO]

So how many alternate app stores are there at this point? Does anyone use them? We don’t hear much about this.

 

[surferfb]

The funny thing is I had this debate with my wife today; we went to see a house in a closed neighborhood & she loves it, but I can't stand the thought of not living in the middle of town, with traffic and people walking by and all of it. I'm pretty much the opposite in my preference for housing than in my preference for a phone

I’m right here with you. HOA was an immediate non-starter for me. 🤣

 

[Wowfunhappy]

oh? you expect Apple to support you?

It's not that I want Apple to support me. I want them to not actively put an incredible amount of effort into locking me out.

Look at Asahi Linux! Apple didn't give them any information on how the hardware worked, all they did was tweak iBoot such that users weren't actively blocked from installing custom kernels.

 

[TigerNike23]

If Sweeney and Epic think this will somehow get Apple to open up the App Store in the US (by stunting in the EU), they didn’t see that $1,000,000 that went to a certain someone’s inauguration.

Zero chance now Apple gets forced by government to open up.

 

[JonathanX64]

It’s legal to jailbreak your phone and install apps from wherever you want. But just like the manufacturer of your 600hp car isn’t obligated to help you disable ESP, Apple isn’t obligated to help you install apps they don’t want on their store.

It’s also legal to prevent you from fully owning your computing device, but it should not be. And I mean that in a big way—third-party app stores aren’t enough. Every device on the planet should come with an unlockable bootloader, except perhaps medical ones.

The existence of Macs, Windows PCs, and Pixel devices completely undermines any argument against this. Products like the Spotify Car Thing or John Deere farming equipment only serve as painful reminders of why this is essential.

At least some EU politicians are starting to realise now.

 

[JonathanX64]

Buying an iPhone is like buying a house in a Homeowners’ Association. You know you’re giving up some freedom to have a “nicer” experience when you buy it. For some people that’s an absolute non-starter because the freedom to do what they want with their house is important to them, others like a neighborhood where the houses are similar and there are rules in place to prevent a weird neighbor from having three broken down cars in front of their house and newspapers taped to all the windows.

But if you buy a home in a HOA you can’t all of a sudden start complaining that they’re not letting you paint your house neon green. You knew the rules when you bought it. Same deal with iPhone.

So buying a Mac is like buying a run-down house in the middle of an unregulated wasteland with your neighbour running an acid house party 24/7 then

 

[surferfb]

It’s also legal to prevent you from fully owning your computing device, but it should not be. And I mean that in a big way—third-party app stores aren’t enough. Every device on the planet should come with an unlockable bootloader, except perhaps medical ones.

The existence of Macs, Windows PCs, and Pixel devices completely undermines any argument against this. Products like the Spotify Car Thing or John Deere farming equipment only serve as painful reminders of why this is essential.

At least some EU politicians are starting to realise now.

I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I think it’s been shown that the iOS model is far better for the vast majority of normal users than the Windows/Mac/Android model. This is just a difference in opinion - while I certainly see there are some drawbacks, they don’t override what’s (in my opinion) best for the majority.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Every device on the planet should come with...

Ah...yes, you believe in Utopia, where all is exactly as you want it to be, and you never have to make tough decisions.

I remember when I believed in Utopia. The funny thing is, I've come to hate the idea of a Utopia.

Life is tradeoffs, sacrifices, decisions. Because Life and humans are variable, different, unique, singular.

What you want and what I want are different. So at least we have an open market, where you get to make the best decision you can find, or create your own options.

 

[Naraxus]

Sweeny and Epic mooching off Apple's hardwork and dime while giving nothing in return as usual. Sweeny is such a scuzzbag

 

[surferfb]

So buying a Mac is like buying a run-down house in the middle of an unregulated wasteland with your neighbour running an acid house party 24/7 then

Not at all. But just as one example, you are definitely more exposed to getting malware on MacOS than you are on iOS. More freedom comes with more risk. I’d argue for most consumers (not people posting on MacRumors to be clear), the risk isn’t worth it.

As mentioned above, living in a home with a HOA was a nonstarter for me when we were house hunting, and I found a house in a nice neighborhood with good neighbors (although there is one hoarder a few streets over 🤣). But I live with the risk that the people across the street might paint their house fuchsia or the couple next door might sell to an amateur car mechanic.

Apple’s rules around the iPhone and App Store are almost 20 years old at this point. Disliking them is one thing. But running to the government to make Apple change the rules, even though Apple doesn’t want them changed and the vast majority of its users are worse off if they’re changed, rather than just buying one of the many great phones without those rules, seems awfully selfish to me. Just vote with your wallet instead.

 

[Analog Kid]

We'll pay $0.50 for every app we serve, but we'll make it up on volume...

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

HOA: no way, no how. I don’t want to be “controlled” by such an entity. I want my freedoms to do what I want with my home & property.

AOA: let the AOA have complete control. No A-owner should have any ownership rights. Subject them to whatever the AOA wants.

You guys are hilarious in your devotion.

Next up: I want to see Trump vs. Apple, as Apple fans seems to be split on the big Orange, so that should be a clash of the titans thread. MAGA vs. APPL: Like Trump & Like Apple vs. Like Trump & Don’t like Apple vs. DL Trump & L Apple vs. DL Trump or Apple. A full 4-way smackdown.

And then maybe God vs. Apple to see another monumental clash of titans.

Our own mothers vs. Apple?

Bring on the main events. This card is getting tiring. All 😉

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I think it’s been shown that the iOS model is far better for the vast majority of normal users than the Windows/Mac/Android model. This is just a difference in opinion - while I certainly see there are some drawbacks, they don’t override what’s (in my opinion) best for the majority.

It's better until you want to protest without getting arrested by the police and Apple pulled the crowdsourced app you were using to stay safe.

Ah...yes, you believe in Utopia, where all is exactly as you want it to be, and you never have to make tough decisions.

Respectfully, I think you're the one not considering tradeoffs. Yes, we don't live in a utopia. Of course we can still try to make our society better. If people stop trying to do that, we will live in a very bad place.

The unregulated free market isn't some magical best possible world. We have health regulations for food, we require new drugs to undergo testing, and so on.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

HOA: no way, no how. I don’t want to be “controlled” by such an entity. I want my freedoms to do what I want with my home & property.

AOA: let the AOA have complete control. No A-owner should have any ownership rights. Subject them to whatever the AOA wants.

No, we're human. With variable desires and different circumstances.

Are you any different? I doubt it

No one is forcing me into an HOA and nobody forces me into an AOA.

But you seem to be taking the side of those who would deny me my preferences.

You and everybody, in my model, is free to make the complicated choices that a free market provides. Don't want a free market? There are places you can go.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Was the title of the article supposed to be "Epic attempts to bribe developers"?

 

[Timo_Existencia]

The unregulated free market isn't some magical best possible world. We have health regulations for food, we require new drugs to undergo testing, and so on.

I said nothing about unregulated markets. ALL markets are regulated. But a market that pretends to have full control over what individual companies do with their products isn't a "market."

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I said nothing about unregulated markets. ALL markets are regulated. But a market that pretends to have full control over what individual companies do with their products isn't a "market."

I think "you can't dictate what consumers are allowed to install on their phones" is an extremely reasonable (and in fact welcome) regulation. I don't think it's a utopian idea.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

I think "you can't dictate what consumers are allowed to install on their phones" is an extremely reasonable (and in fact welcome) regulation. I don't think it's a utopian idea.

Or, you can choose to live in a condominium or you can choose to live outside of a condominium. THAT's the choice. You're arguing that such a choice shouldn't exist.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

No, we're human. With variable desires and different circumstances.

Are you any different? I doubt it

No one is forcing me into an HOA and nobody forces me into an AOA.

But you seem to be taking the side of those who would deny me my preferences.

You and everybody, in my model, is free to make the complicated choices that a free market provides. Don't want a free market? There are places you can go.

So you live in the EU and thus are subject to the ramifications of this law? If not, EU law has zero effect on how you use your Apple stuff.

And if you do live there, you are free to ignore exercising any of the new options and continuing to only get apps from the Apple app store.

And if some app exits the App Store, you can CHOOSE to punish them by refusing to be where you want to buy apps by not buying their app. There are plenty of apps in the sea. The smartest ones are all going to remain for sale in the most-used App Store... even if they opt to be in other stores and/or their own store/website too. Those who bail on the most established & popular store will soon miss the easy money and likely rush right back into it ASAP vs. just forgoing that revenue. All players want to maximize revenue. You don't accomplish that by bailing on where the entire world is thoroughly trained to seek new apps.

But if OTHER people who DO live in the EU wish to do something different, that should be entirely THEIR business... on THEIR Apple stuff... that THEY paid for.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Or, you can choose to live in a condominium or you can choose to live outside of a condominium. THAT's the choice. You're arguing that such a choice shouldn't exist.

No one is forcing you to install apps from outside the app store. You'd merely have the option to do so.

Why should wanting to install other apps require throwing away a perfectly good computer? That seems environmentally wasteful if nothing else.

 

[Dave-Z]

Because you think it costs nothing for Apple to provide the service?

In this scenario it actually does cost Apple nothing.

Ah, that canard...The Mac grew up in a different era; an era where software manufacturers thought they could sell me their software 1 time and then provide lifetime support and upgrades to me for free.

This is largely irrelevant. If the developer of the third-party software wants to provide it for free, a one-time cost, or a subscription, none of that matters. None of that has any affect on Apple. It is the third-party developer's choice.

---

And because I know someone will comment, "But Apple created all the APIs." Yeah, they created APIs. So do many software developers. Apple's APIs benefit Apple two-fold:

1. Their own software uses them.
2. Third-party developers can make software using them and provide a more unified experience to the end-user.

Apple does not need to charge for providing APIs. Providing APIs allows developers to more easily write software for Apple's platform. More available software makes the platform more attractive to end-users.

All of this comes down to a single thing: Apple wants money. They want money from every one at every stage for every thing.

• They want money for the original product.
• They want money for any and all upgrades to the product.
• They want money when the user needs to repair the product.
• They want money for any and all software that runs on the product.
• They want money for any purchases made on the product.
• They want money when the user is done with the product and ready to move on to a different product.

They really only deserve money for the first one, but they structure their products, services, and policies with the end goal to extract money in all areas, even if they had absolutely no involvement in the transaction.