Fortnite Introduces Direct Payment Option on iOS Despite Apple's App Store Review Guidelines [Updated]

[jdphoto]

Hmmm ok........fail to see how's that even remotely similar. iOS is well, as it name implies and Operating System, which provides a platform for third party developers. Fortnite is a piece of SW with a single purpose (otherwise known as a game).

It's similar in that just as Epic rightfully has complete control over their game, Apple has complete control over iOS. Years ago before smartphones there were no App stores and phones came with a set of default/basic apps and that's what you got. Apple could (theoretically, and legally...not practically) go back to just offering stock apps that they create and not allowing others to submit apps for iOS. Publishing an app for an operating system (iOS in this case) is not a right that developers have, Apple gets to set the rules (in this case their commission rate/payment methods allowed) and enforce them since it's their product .

 

[jonblatho]

Let me get this straight. Apple charges 30%. They give you a 20% discount. Meaning they get an extra 10%. Sounds like we know the winner.

Consumers, for getting to spend $2 less on a different payment option if they so choose? (Besides, with this Epic takes on credit card processing fees, chargebacks, etc., so it’s not like they’re getting all of that 10% difference; they might not even see half of it.)

 

[jonblatho]

They probably send the purchaser a postcard in the mail with the image of 1,000 V-Buck which makes it a physical purchase.

I’ve always thought about this workaround and laughed about it because it’s peak technically allowed.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I haven't played Fortnite but based on every other in-game currency pricing I've seen, Epic is being ballsy with calling Apple's 30% cut exorbitant.

Currently, there are no savings if players use Apple and Google payment options, where Apple and Google collect an exorbitant 30% fee on all payments. If Apple and Google lower their fees on payments, Epic will pass along the savings to players.

It's more likely this:

Fortnight is already fading in popularity and sliding on the App Store top download list. And Epic has nothing else to take its place. A one hit wonder whose time is up

This is an act of desperation

In-game currencies and similar are huge cash cows. So, if Fortnite's popularity is slipping, Epic is making this change in an attempt to maintain revenue levels as long as possible.

 

[itsmilo]

This actually seems reasonable and should be implemented everywhere. Just let us choose if we want to use „Apple payment“ or „3rd party“ but we all know WHY Apple doesn’t want that. Security my ass. It’s all about those 30% 🤑🤑🤑

 

[Chazz08]

Publishers don't save a buck.....they just pass it up to the customer..... I'll gladly type a password if I get Apple's 30% cut

You must not have read his post, or you didn't understand what you quoted...lol

 

[jonblatho]

So here is the question(s).
1) Is Apple charging too much (30% for the first year i believe, 15% every year after)?
2) Who should pay for Apple setting up the store, maintaining it, securing it, and making it so easy to use?
3) If there is no Apple Store, would you still use an iOS device?
4) Would you as customer trust any other competing "app" store on your iOS device?
5) If developers are right, how come there are so many apps on the app store?
6) If the developers are right, why not stop developing on Apples platform?

1. Yes; their fees far exceed their costs for the specific services provided.
2. Developers should pay Apple for the costs associated with running the App Store. As it stands, users are paying indirectly because Apple counts on paid App Store purchases to subsidize free apps.
3. Yes. Absolutely.
4. Yes. Absolutely. At least to the same extent I do the App Store, which is at about a “trust but verify” level.
5. ...because there’s no other option.
6. There exists a duopoly between iOS and Android. For many businesses it’s simply not feasible to shut yourself out of up to roughly half of the smartphone market, depending on the region.

 

[anthb]

As a user, i love being able to just press buy and scan my face. Its awesome. Everyone here cheering about 3rd party payments obviously werent alive in the 90s when it was hell to do anything. This is a horrible downward spiral for users we are getting into just so publishers can save a buck.

As a dev, I think its fair for apple to take a cut on their platform and their payment system. Thats what iOS is. It's a seamless experience. If you want to drop the price 30% and have a god awful experience, publish on android.

These publishers also need to be careful. The reason iOS users spend so much more is because its so easy. As soon as you open up having to sign up for another payment service, people will back out because its too much effort, and having both options will cause people to not want to spend the extra money. You will end up with people just backing out.

However I’ll gladly pay via PayPal on the PC which is hardly time consuming in itself to save £4 on the most popular v bucks and the £4 apple tax gives me what? A few seconds saved? Peace of mind? A seamless experience? It’s hardly that. Still got to press buttons and acknowledge pop ups.

 

[WiseAJ]

Fortnite is still a thing?

 

[imnotarobot]

30% for paid apps is not exorbitant at all, before the App Store and the Internet app developers (as I was) had to pay up to 70% to distributors/etc to sell our apps. Then we got paid 180 days later sometimes. Given that Apple is getting 0% of any ad revenue for free apps but still hosting the app, the end result of allowing people to charge whatever they want and not give Apple anything is no more free apps at all. Want an app on the App Store? $1000 or whatever. You want to play a game, $50 like an Xbox game. No one ever seems to complain about paying $50 for COD or another AAA title.

 

[69Mustang]

What? Fortnite is owned by Epic Games, an American company.

Epic Games is 40% owned by the largest gaming publisher in the world, Tencent. IP that Tencent owns that Americans might recognize:
Riot Games 100% - League of Legends
Supercell 80% - Clash of Clans
Epic Games 40% - Fortnite and Gears of War
Bluehole 11.5% - PUBG
Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard 5% each

Tencent's outsized influence (which goes waaaay beyond just gaming) is one of the reasons Apple and other companies have reached out to the White House to get the administration to back off the WeChat ban. WeChat is owned by, yup, Tencent.

 

[Adoniram]

Tim is having an Apple Fit.

 

[willyx]

30% for paid apps is not exorbitant at all, before the App Store and the Internet app developers (as I was) had to pay up to 70% to distributors/etc to sell our apps. Then we got paid 180 days later sometimes. Given that Apple is getting 0% of any ad revenue for free apps but still hosting the app, the end result of allowing people to charge whatever they want and not give Apple anything is no more free apps at all. Want an app on the App Store? $1000 or whatever. You want to play a game, $50 like an Xbox game. No one ever seems to complain about paying $50 for COD or another AAA title.

The discussion on the cut being fair or not is pointless from the moment that Apple does not allow other payment platforms to compete with theirs. As such, the true fair price of such service is unknown.

Moreover, Apple applies this policy depending on the developer: it seems that some of them have special deals with Apple to not pay such cut, which gives even more grounds for authorities to intervene this company and stop its predatory tactics.

 

[iZac]

“...I’m Spartacus!”

There’s a lot of high profile jabs at Apples monetisation policies right now, interesting to see if It snowballs.

 

[macfacts]

Cite evidence that Apple is catering to Fortnite.

Yeah, didn't think so.

Read the summary, apps like uber doesn't have to use apples billing system. Apple is catering to them not fortnight.

 

[locovaca]

Epic isn’t stupid. This is to get standing for a lawsuit. You can’t sue something if you can’t prove you weren’t directly harmed. By doing this and getting reprimended/banned Epic will have standing.

 

[silentdevotion]

This won’t end well.

Hopefully for Apple, they are too large. This App Store monopoly has to end and hopefully we should be able to install apps outside of the App Store.

 

[kyleh22]

this will be corrected in no time. It will be eye opening for people who don't realize how large the Apple tax is.

 

[Callander]

Greed meets greed. Battle to the money death!

 

[Remy149]

Read the summary, apps like uber doesn't have to use apples billing system. Apple is catering to them not fortnight.

Apps that provide a physical service or good are allowed their own payment options

 

[XXPP]

next year - $9.99 EPIC regular price.

 

[Remy149]

Hopefully for Apple, they are too large. This App Store monopoly has to end and hopefully we should be able to install apps outside of the App Store.

Many users like having a safe abs secure App Store. If I want to buy a game digitally on Xbox or PlayStation I have to use their store even if I buy a digital code externally

 

[a m u n]

You forgot the second image.

 

[falainber]

This won’t end well.

For Apple or Fortnite?

 

[Rogifan]

Good I’m glad they’re challenging this rule. Let Apple charge developers for the cost to run the App Store and related fees. But rent seeking is odious especially for things like this that are cross platform. And especially when it only applies to digital goods. So Uber and Lyft and food delivery services owe Apple nothing but cross platform games have to give it 30%? That’s BS.