Apple removes Fortnite from the App store, Epic responds with a lawsuit

That doesn’t really matter, though, because you can sideload Android apps.

Yeah discovery is going to be very interesting! Popcorn? :)

It may not matter legally. But I suspect most people using Android phones have never sideloaded anything and have little idea you can.

This is akin to arguing that Microsoft shipping Internet Explorer with Windows isn’t a problem because you can use a Mac instead. The argument made in the lawsuit is that Apple has a monopoly on app sales and in-app purchases on iOS devices, so Android’s existence is irrelevant here.

Epic found that out. It wasn’t on the Play store, you could only side load, and then they begrudgingly joined it.

I am on Epic’s side on this, but I don’t think it’s completely unfair for these stores to charge something for their services. Apple should let you side load, the vast majority of people will still use the store and then Epic has no leg to stand on.

I think it’s that you can’t use a different payment system for digital purchases. For example, you can buy groceries through your Walmart app and none of the money goes to Apple (I don’t think).

You can load virtual money from cards, or just fill your virtual spacebucks wallet on a PC, even on their own thing, and Apple doesn’t get a dime either. It’s really about taking down the lock on the no-digital payment from the phone thing.
Why that matters so much to Epic? Eh.

Sideloading works fine, is not very difficult, and for a major game like Fortnite plenty of people will be happy to do it. Of course, yes, they are giving up some users leaving the Google Play store, but Google’s garden isn’t walled.

I have zero problems with Google’s policies for that reason. You can always just sideload. On iOS, you’re shit out of luck.

(And yes, you can jailbreak depending on the version, and there are ways to sideload for 7 days, or for longer if you sign up to a sketchy signing service, but not really.)

It amazes me the number of people who think Epic only cares about making more money for themselves. Just about everything they’ve done since the Fortnite windfall has been about trying to improve terms for other creators in every market.

What is so hard to understand about their philosophical opposition to Apple being allowed to monopolize any and all forms of commerce on 1 billion what are otherwise general computing devices?

Because it also makes more money for themselves. I am just not buying that Sweeney just cares about all the little guys out there, especially since he’s been in a dick about everything they have done. It’s like the game company CEO here cheering them on how this is good for all gamers. Maybe it is, but it’s more about making more money for themselves.

Same for Starbucks etc. Apple has just decided games and media are subject to different rules than a cup of coffee. According to Apple digital games are less “safe” for adults rather than ingesting something.

please, don’t be rude.

About having no idea what you are talking about…

Cool I’m glad that Epic is trying to indoctrinate a bunch of kids with in-game propaganda

The video was kind of funny though. Seems a bit childish to be poking the stick, but this is also just a way to get more press for themselves. They are going to milk this for everything they can.

But yeah, its just Epic looking out for the little guys.

It was a great video, poking Apple right in the eye. And Apple 100% deserves it.

I wonder if the average Fortnite user has read 1984 in school yet.

Also, I’m amused at the word “safe” being thrown around by the incumbent in the context of that story.

Good guy Epic. If you don’t pay through Apple, we’ll give you a 20% discount. Why not 30%?

They still need to pay merchant fees, which are around 3%, and the rest is pure profit for them. I mean, the whole thing is pure profit because they’re selling fictional currency, but you know what I mean.

This is rich people arguing about whose beak gets a little wetter. Like LeeAbe, I don’t see how this is much of a plus for gamers. Right now, since the app isn’t in two app stores I think it’s a big negative for gamers.

Apple is also entirely hypocritical about content on app stores. You can’t have anything erotic on the App Store, but there is erotica on the iBooks store.

Apple refused to settle over the books antitrust. There is exactly zero chance they back down from this one.