Epic Games Takes Legal Battle With Apple to Europe With Antitrust Complaint

[MacRumors]

Epic Games has filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union, broadening its legal battle against the tech giant by attempting to appeal to the EU's differing interpretation of antitrust issues compared to those in the United States (via The Wall Street Journal).

Last September, Epic Games‌‌ added a Fortnite update that allowed customers to purchase in-game currency directly from ‌Epic, skirting Apple's in-app purchases. That is against Apple's rules, and the move led Apple to pull the app from the App Store, which Epic clearly anticipated, as it wasted no time in taking Apple to court and releasing an anti-Apple marketing campaign simultaneously.

In August, Apple followed through with a threat to terminate ‌‌Epic Games‌‌' developer account and countersued Epic in October, claiming breach of contract. Last year, Google pulled Fortnite from the Google Play Store for the same reason – introducing a payment system that bypasses the standard app store policy that sees the hosting platform take a 30% share of in-app purchases.

Epic's legal complaint against Apple in the EU joins plaintiffs including Spotify that have prompted a formal investigation by the European Commission into Apple's alleged anticompetitive behavior.

"What's at stake here is the very future of mobile platforms," said Epic founder and Chief Executive Officer Tim Sweeney. "We will not stand idly by and allow Apple to use its platform dominance to control what should be a level digital playing field."

Sweeney said that while the legal case filed in Europe targets Apple, "the broad outlines… are equally applicable to Google, though the timing may be different."

Europe uses different standards than the U.S. when it comes to antitrust issues, focusing more on fairness between competitors than their impact on consumers, which the U.S tends to focus on. Epic has also filed similar lawsuits in Australia and the U.K., accusing Apple of an abuse of dominance.

The European Commission has yet to comment on Epic's complaint, which remains confidential. However, the Commission's ongoing investigation, launched last year, into how Apple Pay is the only contactless payment service allowed on iOS devices, may factor into its considerations of Epic's argument that Apple's operating system should be open to competing stores.

Article Link: Epic Games Takes Legal Battle With Apple to Europe With Antitrust Complaint

 

[TehFalcon]

Epic games is such a terrible company. They are nearing EA’s level of scum in the Video Game industry.

 

[Shanghaichica]

They might win in Europe. The European Union have a habit of ruling against big tech companies.

 

[wilhoitm]

They might win in Europe. The European Union have a habit of ruling against big tech companies.

Epic is smoking crack if they are suing both Apple and Google and expect to win! Instead of bitching and moaning about this, they should have done an IPO! What a waste of time, money, and resources!

 

[Shanghaichica]

Epic is smoking crack if they are suing both Apple and Google and expect to win! Instead of bitching and moaning about this, they should have done an IPO! What a waste of time, money, and resources!

Yes Epic are being ridiculous and they deserved to be kicked off the App Store. However the EU commission are know for making silly decisions when it comes to big tech companies.

 

[contacos]

Epic is smoking crack if they are suing both Apple and Google and expect to win! Instead of bitching and moaning about this, they should have done an IPO! What a waste of time, money, and resources!

the EU is already looking into ApplePay being the only payment method allowed on the iPhone (via the NFC chip) on its own. It is not too far fetched

 

[nicolas_s]

Since Europe hates Apple they might have a chance here. We'll see!

 

[alien3dx]

Epic games is such a terrible company. They are nearing EA’s level of scum in the Video Game industry.

they may loose since % is reduce for small developer

 

[svanstrom]

Their "we only have to win once"-strategy sort of makes me feel like my trusted iDevices ecosystem could be threatened; but we've already seen that these approaches have started to fail on US State level, and I'm thinking that that will have a domino effect.

Basically the idea of lessening Apple iDevice security being a bad thing just needs to get into the public mind; and that happens with every failure by Epic and the advertising industry to go against what's best for us users.

I would almost bet good money that Epic and all will have their brands severely hurt by the end of it all.

 

[svanstrom]

Since Europe hates Apple they might have a chance here. We'll see!

As a European: No, we don't.

 

[deevey]

The monopoly argument falls flatter in Europe than the US with less than 1/3 market dominance.

I don't think we will ever see side loading. However, Europe being Europe, I think IAP's may be in the crosshairs.

 

[Shanghaichica]

the EU is already looking into ApplePay being the only payment method allowed on the iPhone (via the NFC chip) on its own. It is not too far fetched

The EU complained that google have an App Store, search engine and mail app on android phones...

 

[nicolas_s]

As a European: No, we don't.

I'm European too, I'd say except the U.K., which is not in the EU anymore, they pretty much hate Apple, but they hate the rest of GAFAM too.

 

[bitethis]

So Epic is allowed to shop their idea around that they are some sorta good guy is this? The fact that they had been working up this battle months in advance. paid someone to lobby for them and tried to hide it and just keep doing shadow stuff. But yeah Epic is the good guy?

yeah no thanks

 

[svanstrom]

I'm European too, I'd say except the U.K., which is not in the EU anymore, they pretty much hate Apple, but they hate the rest of GAFAM too.

What an absolutely ridiculous statement.

Practically speaking I haven't, in recent times, come across a single person able to afford Apple devices that would use such a strong language as hating, or even strongly disliking (beyond personal preferences), Apple.

That stuff usually only happens with (passionate) teenagers (that, to be fair, could randomly proclaim to "hate" their favourite food, anything having to do with their family, wind, and the color blue); not really something that will have much sway in how the courts view something.

 

[TheOldChevy]

How much taxes is Epic paying in Europe ?
Will they pay more with a different model that allow them to by-pass Apple Store ?

If the answer to both questions is 0, then I would not bet a penny on their chances to succeed.

 

[apparatchik]

They might win in Europe. The European Union have a habit of ruling against big tech companies.

Epic is a big tech company who's largest shareholder is a worldwide conglomerate dominating at least 5 key tech industries, with a very poor track record in terms of user or consumer centric approaches, would you say the European courts will judge in favor or against of said Chinese behemoth based on relative size?

 

[louisitou]

I'm European too, I'd say except the U.K., which is not in the EU anymore, they pretty much hate Apple, but they hate the rest of GAFAM too.

im European too, and its the first time i hear this claim lol. Apple is very popular here and preferred in many situations.

 

[Kissmo1980]

OK so after this, what's next? Antarctica?

 

[Kissmo1980]

Since Europe hates Apple they might have a chance here. We'll see!

Where did you get that miss-information?

 

[svanstrom]

OK so after this, what's next? Antarctica?

Antarctica is very pro-Android:
Source: https://twitter.com/AndroidPenguin

 

[TheOldChevy]

OK so after this, what's next? Antarctica?

I may remind you that Europe population is 750 M (more than twice USA, and much more than Antartica population - even including 500k emperor penguins).

 

[bubulol]

Epic games is such a terrible company. They are nearing EA’s level of scum in the Video Game industry.

Maybe now but Epic games were known for Unreal series (Unreal Tournament 1999), one of first multiplayer fps among counter strike and quake
Not mentioning Gears of Wars
They also developed Unreal Engine which is insane videogames engine
Before being famous for Fortnite, i would say they were really talented as videogames studio
They tends to be like their own Fortnite audience: young and rebels lol
That's just marketing stuff

 

[Shanghaichica]

I'm European too, I'd say except the U.K., which is not in the EU anymore, they pretty much hate Apple, but they hate the rest of GAFAM too.

The Uk doesn’t hate Apple. The iPhone market share in the UK is similar to the US market share...

 

[Shanghaichica]

im European too, and its the first time i hear this claim lol. Apple is very popular here and preferred in many situations.

Apple’s iPhone market share in mainland Europe save for a few countries like Switzerland is quite low.