AusWolfI totally understand Apple and Google's policy of every payment having to go through their system. What I don't understand is why this is enforced now, and not when Fortnite launched on these platforms.

mbeestonhmm.. so epic says it's "fighting for all developers" by making a lawsuit over their own game being pulled, because they wanted to take all the money for themselves and apple/google's rules wouldn't let them and they got pulled...

looks like another manufactured " we're doing to right thing for all of you" publicity stunt to me.

LightofhonorIt's because their latest update is the one that broke the rules. And the Google store version is fairly new.


Either way, in Google (and Steam's) case, it's kinda like complaining about paying taxes. Everyone likes complaining about them, but if you point out they are free to move somewhere else with lower taxes they suddenly think that's ridiculous. I understand the Apple lawsuit since that is more about a dictatorship (i.e. don't like the price of bread? Well starve.) whereas on Android it's kinda like suing because the closest McDonald's to you is more expensive than the one 10 miles away.

hatI'm not sure how I feel about this one. If you want to use someone's service, you play by their rules. Google and Apple have the right to operate as they see fit within the boundaries of the law. The question is whether or not Google and Apple are breaking the law by imposing these rules.

It's no different than installing GPU-Z, which you downloaded from TechPowerUp, instead of installing it from the Microsoft Store, or whatever it's called.

TotallyIf they are harming the consumer, yes they are. Looking at the screenshots payment screen yes they are.

AssimilatorCounterpoint: if the app stores didn't take such a high percentage of in-game payments, there wouldn't be nearly as much of an incentive for game devs to bypass those stores' built-in payment mechanisms. In short, if the stores were less greedy, this wouldn't be a problem.

SearingThe simple fact is that OS platforms are marketplaces, not stores. The store is the app store, and Apple is illegally restricting the market place to one store. Allow an Epic game store on iOS is the start. Time to fix this nonsense that only got started with the iPhone and is completely different from every other OS for the last 50 years.

Vayra86This is bigger than Epic. Apple is fighting this battle on in-app purchases in a broad sense. And Google happily tags along, after all, why not, you get double the weight to rake in more cash on a regular basis. This is like Steam extending its contract beyond the game purchase and applies the tax over all in-game purchases as well, I wouldn't be surprised if they follow suit. And note: they're not doing anything more for it than they always have. Its like free money!

Its greed. Pure and simple, and because technically they 'can'. The bigger their share of whatever pie, the more they can take over in the future. Apple does the same with start ups as Google in that sense. Its all business and we're suffering for it, in terms of creative landscape and fair play. We sure as hell don't benefit from it.

PanicLakeI believe they where planning the law suit... they implemented the alternative payment option to get banned from the store and leverage that to start the law suit.

CrackongIf they don't, then everyone will be putting their apps "Free" and everything are in-app purchases.

Mentioning steam is quite an example.
Imagine if every game is Freemium and steam does not benefit from in-game purchases.

Are they doing a charity or something ?
Just let you profit from their platform and use the server bandwidth for $0 ?

bugHow do you figure? The prices directly from Epic are lower than going through said stores. So clearly they are passing the savings on to the customer.

ExcuseMeWtfIt really isn't that hard.

When you sign an agreement, you state that you have read, understood and agreed to its terms. If you don't like the terms, you can try to negotiate, however there is no guarantee satisfying terms will be reached. In which case no agreement is made. You don't get to sign agreement, which terms you don't agree with, then cry about it later.

What would make Epic exempt from this?

There is theoretically a possibility that terms of agreement violate existing laws, making it automatically null and void. Let me ask you however, what are the odds that two separate multi billion dollar corporations at the same time failed to notice this and formulate terms accordingly and this has not been noticed or brought to light by anyone for multiple years, when there were multiple parties signing such agreement over that timespan?

DemonicRyzen666They best way to look at this like. Buying food in grocery store eating it and realizing on the side of the package. you can buy it directly from the manufacturer for 20% off the price. The grocery store can't sue the manufacturer for your buying it some place else. People will still go to the grocery store to buy the food. The grocery store here ends being the platform people use, because they are familiar with it and it's convenience to have more inside off it.


Edit: it's why people who use Apple stay with Apple they're familiar with it and it's services.

CrackongThe "manufacturer" is setting up his own store inside the grocery store , enjoying the grocery store's A/C , plugged into the grocery store's wall, then offer 20% off the price of the same product to you, and not letting the grocery store benefit from it.

CrackongIn this EPIC case,

The "manufacturer" is setting up his own store inside the grocery store , enjoying the grocery store's A/C , plugged into the its wall, then offer 20% off the price of the same product to you, and not letting the grocery store benefit from it.

wahdangunThe difference is, the manufacturer can't set up their own grocery store.

ExcuseMeWtfIt really isn't that hard.

When you sign an agreement, you state that you have read, understood and agreed to its terms. If you don't like the terms, you can try to negotiate, however there is no guarantee satisfying terms will be reached. In which case no agreement is made. You don't get to sign agreement, which terms you don't agree with, then cry about it later.

What would make Epic exempt from this?

There is theoretically a possibility that terms of agreement violate existing laws, making it automatically null and void. Let me ask you however, what are the odds that two separate multi billion dollar corporations at the same time failed to notice this and formulate terms accordingly and this has not been noticed or brought to light by anyone for multiple years, when there were multiple parties signing such agreement over that timespan?

CrackongIn this EPIC case,

The "manufacturer" is setting up his own store inside the grocery store , enjoying the grocery store's A/C , plugged into the its wall, then offer 20% off the price of the same product to you, and not letting the grocery store benefit from it.

bugWhich option?

Vayra86Yes, you pick steam. You seem to have an issue separating A from B.

R0H1TThe option to bypass EPIC for games exclusive to them on say PC, Total War Troy for instance. I don't like Epic Store & I don't like the (limited) payment options they have, I also don't like the cut they take from the actual game developers & that's anti competitive IMO ~ restricting user choice remember? Or do you think EPIC's not a middleman between the game (maker) & owner i.e. me? App store complaint is somewhat justified, but when they dragged Play store into this it's pretty clear what their intentions are. The 30% cut is indeed steep but then it's a "service fee" so they're not a charity & I doubt this case will be entertained. You don't like the cut, you go off simple as that. Do you go to Walmart, to sell your products, negotiate a contract & then say a year later hey don't like to pay this commission anymore? What do you suppose Walmart will do :confused:

Now in terms of legal precedent there's none AFAIK, so let's assume EPIC wins where does this lead other markets or marketplaces? Like I said I don't like EPIC's payment options & now I want EPIC to give me COD or cheaper options for payment, what do you think EPIC's response would be? What about Amazon, Alibaba, Steam?
Right & you do?

The more "user choice" is just a smokescreen, it's all about the money!

Vayra86I do and you clearly repeatedly fail to see the distinction between EGS and Apple or Google. Its not even a little bit the same thing either.

Vayra86When you can run your own app store on android and Ios, please pick up your thoughts and continue

RoutedScripterHonestly, many anti-epic people are just Steam fanboys, I couldn't care less for a launcher, it's about games, I don't care about social features, I don't use any steam features either, there may have been when I posted some technical question of the forum or pulled a mod from the system. That's about it, most of the launcher features are gimmicks for kids.

AusWolf. How does Epic's practice promote more open ecosystems? They're only unwilling to pay for a service that they use, and agreed to the terms and conditions of.