killroy

jimh2 said:

How about turning the tables and creating a 2nd App Store. The transaction to use alternative app stores requires a fee, which forces the user to acknowledge they have left the safety of the walled garden and entered the Wild West. 

Another alternative is to let others set up their own store, but not allow developers to have their app in the Apple App Store if they want it in their own. 

jeroenhmg said:

Seriously though, there are no winners in this.

Just brain-dumping:
Apple platforms could lose all (future) Unreal-based games, Epic seems tantrum-angry enough to just amputate an arm and ignore the bleeding.
...then again, Unreal-engine is not really going away since engine users/customers can still keep building for Apple platforms using the source.
Epic games could lose distribution channels outside of just Apple on this journey.
Epic could lose engine customers on mobile platforms, they are not the only engine provider, a very good one but not the only one.

Here is what the various industry players offer as revenue split (some anecdotally):

Store			Rev. Cut
------------------------------------------------
Twitch			50%
Apple App Store		30%
Google Play Store	30%
Valve Steam		30%, 25% $10mil+, 20% $50mil+
Amazon App Store	30% 
Sony 			30% (*)
Microsoft		30% (*)
Nintendo		30% (*)
Epic Games Store	12%
Discord Store		10%

Most players play Fortnite on consoles, so where is Epic's ire at Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft for their console online stores? Don't they all just take the same cut as Apple? Surely they have similar rules with payment methods?

------------------
Note:
(*) from arstechnica article: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/08/as-epic-attacks-apple-and-google-it-ignores-the-same-problems-on-consoles/

normm said:

dblanch369 said:

Lol good. Don’t want their crappy games in the App Store anyway. I’m sorry, but those App Store rules are in place for a reason - to protect our way of life. If any of you have seen the mess that is the google play store, you will know what I mean... 

Actually Epic sells through the Google Play store and pays Google 30%.  They tried selling direct to Android users and it didn't work well.

I do think, though, that Apple is too stubborn in some ways.  For example, letting big players sell digital content direct would improve the iOS user experience.

raulcristian said:

Please note that I am an Apple fanboy and I am not a gamer. Never played Fornite or anything since Popeye on the Nintendo arcades of the 80s. (Crossy Road maybe the only exception).

But escalating this is nonsensical for Apple. Great job showing non-monopolistic behavior, Apple.

Removing Epic dev license will backfire. Indeed.

This might get a pass in the USA but Apple will get a giant slap in the hand by EU regulators. But worse, beyond the Apple cheerleaders that we all are, Apple will start being seeing as the dark force. Count on Epic to pose as the victim here. They seem to have this well planned.

And in the medium term, Apple will start losing customers, losing public goodwill, losing its ability to attract the best developers.

C'mon Tim. Settle this nasty distraction before it is too late.

 

The problem is that Epic can't stick to a contract and it seems that other games are also in violation also.

Apple has asked them to fix it.