Tuesday, August 25th 2020
Epic vs Apple: Microsoft Files in Support of Epic Games
In the ongoing turf war between Epic Games and Apple, the game and engine development company has now signed a powerful ally to its side: Microsoft. In an announcement via Twitter, XBOX vice president Phil Spencer announced that Microsoft had filed a statement in support of Epic's lawsuit against Apple - specifically, regarding the maintenance of Unreal Engine resources, tools, and developer credentials in the Apple store. This comes weeks after the battle royale between Apple and Epic begun, and after Epic started a social media and industry-wide call for support among consumers and corporations alike.
While the merits on Epic's initial move and subsequent lawsuit against Apple may be up for debate, and it's likely that any court of law will say that Epic clearly intended to breach contract terms they had already accepted when distributing Fortnite through the Apple Store, this second one has a much higher amount of O2 to breathe. Apple terminating the Unreal Engine affiliation with its store and development capabilities can potentially send a ripple effect throughout the entire games industry, whether in already-shipped games, currently in development ones, or future development intentions. That Microsoft themselves backed Epic on this particular issue goes to show just how wide a net this conflict is escalating towards.
Source:
Engadget
While the merits on Epic's initial move and subsequent lawsuit against Apple may be up for debate, and it's likely that any court of law will say that Epic clearly intended to breach contract terms they had already accepted when distributing Fortnite through the Apple Store, this second one has a much higher amount of O2 to breathe. Apple terminating the Unreal Engine affiliation with its store and development capabilities can potentially send a ripple effect throughout the entire games industry, whether in already-shipped games, currently in development ones, or future development intentions. That Microsoft themselves backed Epic on this particular issue goes to show just how wide a net this conflict is escalating towards.
30 Comments on Epic vs Apple: Microsoft Files in Support of Epic Games
So MS agrees 30% is a lost cause as well. I think this battle has just swung to Sweeneys favor. Even if they lose this will work like democracy. No company wants to feel like the odd one out. Its soon going to be much more viable to get a lower cut anyway.
EPIC's claims:
Apple's terms of service clearly violates consumer laws.
It should ultimately be up to the consumer what they want to put on their device and how they install it. It's not Epics fault that Apple do not allow them to install programs/games any other way.
EGS drama says more powah to consumer, what a joke. Consumer will end up paying same or even more not less. Pure B.S from this Tencent garbage.
Here we go again :(
If they want to be able to use the Apple store for all purchases, then they can, but if they want to use another storefront/app to install games/programs, then why not?
Apple iOS and Google Android - There Android has sideload option and you can authorize own payments there, if you want on Play Store then Google rules, that's how Google apps work and ecosystem is built. EGS was like noo I will sideload my app, but later realized they are going to lose users because of the exposure and wanted Google Play Services benefits but now they want the full cut ? Apple has only one option, a jail but that's the way on how the platform works and publisher controls. What is the choice here ? EGS is B.S they have to get shunned hard, they are too greedy and anti-consumer, hypocrisy BS at finest.
Ask for sideload on Apple, that's true choice which Apple will never authorize in a million years which is where you install games/programs on other storefront and App that doesn't exist in Apple utopia, not this B.S. Consumer pays same amount, EGS snags is higher if they want consumer to pay them directly for IAP/MTX. Having full developer access, platform benefits and want full cut what is this B.S ? It's like I will deploy my game on Steam and it's CDN and all the Valve's server and platform benefits but I want 100% or whatever 80-20 or what they feel is right cut, it's ridiculous. Even GOG takes a cut, ofc it's less than the standard 70-30 but it also has way less powerful and expansive network likes of Steam / Valve and pathetic support.
Can you explain in a more concise way? I get you don't like EGS or Epic, but that isn't really relevant to the question. Putting all that aside, why shouldn't a consumer be able to choose different ways of installing/paying for 3rd party apps on their personal devices?From the quotes, I'm guessing that's sarcasm around "security". Surely it should still be up to the consumer how "secure" they want to make their device. I mean, Microsoft could do this too, right? Only allow apps to be installed through the windows store to keep windows devices more secure? What would the fallout of that be?
I’m not anti-capitalist by any means, but I do believe in being professional, and Epic has been anything but professional. Their behavior reminds me of the worst kind of customers I deal with in my job. The ones that want exceptions at the expense of all my other customers, and they throw tantrums to try to get their way, and threaten legal action because they disagree with policy. It’s not behavior that should be celebrated, IMO.
Whether Epic is on the App Store doesn’t affect me, but what would affect me is if iOS goes from one way to pay to the developer’s choice. Personally, I’m way less likely to hand out my payment info in the latter. I already have to trust that Apple will keep my info secure, and it’s nice to know I don’t have to hand out that info over and over again.
It does sound like some reform is needed, but it’s a slippery slope as people will find loopholes. If you can make purchases outside of the App Store, then what stops every developer from making their apps free to download with the ability to unlock externally?
Personally, I hate that most mobile games are Freemium. I think that needs just as much reform as any policy Apple has for the App Store.
There's a baziliion examples like below.
hey.com/apple/
www.wired.com/story/apple-app-developers-union/
www.theverge.com/2020/6/18/21295778/apple-app-store-hey-email-fees-policies-antitrust-wwdc-2020
Now, to the point of the article, this is actually the part of the lawsuit that has the best chance against Apple. The terms of Service for the Unreal Engine were not violated, so Apple removing that and defending it in court will be the exciting part. Major parties like MS willing to back them in proceedings will certainly help Epic.
Its a choice of evils. Absolutely. And the elephant in the room is that once again for the umpteenth time market regulation is completely lacking, and a big part of that is the fact that internet is not limited by borders.
This problem is as old as I am by now and still not really fixed. What do you get in lands that have no law and working justice department? You get anarchy, you get warlords fighting each other, and that is what we're seeing here. For each of these multinationals, the pockets run so deep, and the tax they avoid is so rampant, they can do whatever they like. This goes for all players in this game.
Knowing that, my stance on the whole thing is that EGS can enforce a change that will ultimately, hopefully, also lead to new forms or principles of regulation. On the basis of 'it has to escalate before it gets better'. One thing's a given, maintaining a status quo with just a handful of gatekeepers to our most important devices is incredibly wrong and needs a fix. It is in NO way a healthy combination with a free market.The best business is those deals where everyone feels like they are winning. Make no mistake about long term and strategical agenda, Epic will benefit from this. That does not however exclude the benefits of others, necessarily.
Well, I did - I don't have a smartphone, except one Samsung unregistered to anything - WIP where I'm checking how many useful apps can I run without email registration or putting a SIM inside (it's not a phone, as such, I know).
Thing is that Google and Apple are duopoly who abuse their position in every manner imaginable. 'Phone as a service', really... A gadget that I paid good money for, requires additional payment of service (phone bill, internet), paying for applications - each of those things I'm relatively OK with. What I'm not OK with is that I'm like a guest-account on the device I supposedly own, can't turn off a number of things and have very little control over device overall - especially for things that matter to me - damn, I can't take out the battery from iPhone...
Add the extortion fee of 30% to that (both Google and Apple, but also Steam for example) and it's kinda easy to side with Epic, who does the same as the Steam competition.
The very thing that Google and Apple are still existing and are allowed to continue with anti-customer practices they use, is the final proof that there is no God.