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Apple basically didn't write anything down. Tim Sweeney: The thing with Apple is all of their antitrust trickery is internal to the company. They use their st

Apple basically didn't write anything down. Tim Sweeney: The thing with Apple is all of their antitrust trickery is internal to the company. They use their store, their payments, they force developers to all have the same terms, they force OEMs and carriers to all have the same terms. I think the Apple case would be no less interesting if we could see all of their internal thoughts and deliberations, but Apple was not putting it in writing, whereas Google was. You know, I think Apple is… it’s a little bit unfortunate that in a lot of ways Apple’s restrictions on competition are absolute. Thou shalt not have a competing store on iOS and thou shalt not use a competing payment method. And I think Apple should be receiving at least as harsh antitrust scrutiny as Google.

shadowgovt 3y ago
Google and Microsoft generally are the backstop against an Apple monopoly. Don't like Apple making so many decisions for you as a user? Windows and Android are right there.
- silenced_trope 3y ago
  It's hard though - I've been an Android dev for 8 years but have always had an iPhone. I've never considered switching to Android. And despite the fact that I want a wide variety of options, I prefer MacBooks, I prefer many Apple services, including software.
- freeAgent 3y ago
  Google and Microsoft have gone too far in the direction of shoving ads into all my interactions with their products that I now have no interest in using, much less paying for, most of them. The only Google services I still use are Nest and YouTube (both of which I pay for). I use MS for some of my email, but I’m migrating away. Unless Google and Microsoft see the light and accommodate users who hate ads, it’s going to be mostly Apple and Linux for me.
eek2121 3y ago
[flagged]
morelisp 3y ago
To attack Apple you'd have to attack vertical integration in general more aggressively, not just when it's "unfair". Which Epic won't do because the integration between their games, their engine licensing, and their store is also a key part of their identity today.
- rezonant 3y ago
  I think the only part of what you describe that is potentially a vertical tie is the Unreal Marketplace license requiring that assets you buy only be used in Unreal. Otherwise, you can put non-Unreal games on EGS, and you can put Unreal games on other stores. EGS does not give you benefits if you choose to publish an Unreal game on EGS, and I'd be surprised if all the games EGS buys exclusivity for are Unreal games. Epic does sell their own games on Epic Game Store, but they also sell most of their games on Steam too (with the huge exception of Fortnite, though it's free to play)
  - morelisp 3y ago
    > EGS does not give you benefits if you choose to publish an Unreal game on EGS This is false. If you sell a UE game in Epic's store they don't charge the engine licensing fee.
    - rezonant 3y ago
      I stand corrected but your "False!" is in bad form. Here's the docs, search for Epic Games Store in this FAQ. They waive the 5% royalties when sold on Epic Game Store. https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/faq https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/faq
      - morelisp 3y ago
        Right, the problem is that I said it was false, not that you said something totally false with such certainty.
        3y ago

shadowgovt 3y ago

Google and Microsoft generally are the backstop against an Apple monopoly. Don't like Apple making so many decisions for you as a user? Windows and Android are right there.

silenced_trope 3y ago
It's hard though - I've been an Android dev for 8 years but have always had an iPhone. I've never considered switching to Android. And despite the fact that I want a wide variety of options, I prefer MacBooks, I prefer many Apple services, including software.
freeAgent 3y ago
Google and Microsoft have gone too far in the direction of shoving ads into all my interactions with their products that I now have no interest in using, much less paying for, most of them. The only Google services I still use are Nest and YouTube (both of which I pay for). I use MS for some of my email, but I’m migrating away. Unless Google and Microsoft see the light and accommodate users who hate ads, it’s going to be mostly Apple and Linux for me.

eek2121 3y ago

[flagged]

morelisp 3y ago

To attack Apple you'd have to attack vertical integration in general more aggressively, not just when it's "unfair". Which Epic won't do because the integration between their games, their engine licensing, and their store is also a key part of their identity today.

rezonant 3y ago
I think the only part of what you describe that is potentially a vertical tie is the Unreal Marketplace license requiring that assets you buy only be used in Unreal. Otherwise, you can put non-Unreal games on EGS, and you can put Unreal games on other stores. EGS does not give you benefits if you choose to publish an Unreal game on EGS, and I'd be surprised if all the games EGS buys exclusivity for are Unreal games. Epic does sell their own games on Epic Game Store, but they also sell most of their games on Steam too (with the huge exception of Fortnite, though it's free to play)
- morelisp 3y ago
  > EGS does not give you benefits if you choose to publish an Unreal game on EGS This is false. If you sell a UE game in Epic's store they don't charge the engine licensing fee.
  - rezonant 3y ago
    I stand corrected but your "False!" is in bad form. Here's the docs, search for Epic Games Store in this FAQ. They waive the 5% royalties when sold on Epic Game Store. https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/faq https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/faq
    - morelisp 3y ago
      Right, the problem is that I said it was false, not that you said something totally false with such certainty.
      - 3y ago