Epic Invokes '1984' As Apple Blocks Fortnite

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Epic Invokes '1984' As Apple Blocks Fortnite

Yup, it happened. Epic Games have invoked "1984" - yes, that "1984" - in response to Apple blocking Fortnite from the App Store.

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Slapshot1188

I think Epic is s piece of shit company. I think Fortnite is a piece of shit game... but this was actually a really creative marketing move that strikes gold. And I kind of hope they win because... Apple.

RemyVorender

I am NOT an Apple fan, but I'm applauding them on this one.

TwistedSister77

Family and friends that buy Apple, I always tell them why I wont. This is case and point for my nieces and nephews who wont be able to play fortnite on their ipads.

Fyi... I've made a lot on Apple stock in my retirement fund, I wont buy their products, but I know they are monopolistic marketing geniuses.

BruceYee

Slapshot1188 said:

I think Epic is s piece of shit company. I think Fortnite is a piece of shit game... but this was actually a really creative marketing move that strikes gold. And I kind of hope they win because... Apple.

Are you okay with companies selling their products on a platform then try to get around paying the fee every seller agrees to by any means necessary?

BOTH Apple and Epic suck but in this case Epic is trying to be a scammer. If Epic doesn't have to pay the 30% fee then NO other company should have to pay that but as usual Epic is only looking out for themselves and trying to even manipulate THEIR OWN customers into believing something that's false.

Gorwe

Oh my, Scammers shouldn't really mar and tarnish the reputation of a work of art such as '84*. I mean, both are scummy companies, but I hope EGS loses here. No love for them.

*'84 is about the big government trampling all over individual rights, how can another company blacklisting you be anything like '84(they're probably trying to use your common "the freer the market, the freer the people" scam)? Don't make me laugh!

Wizardry

I fell out of favor with Epic over the years but of late i actually applaud what Sweeney is doing.
I can't stand monopolies,Steam had a monopoly going and still does,Microsoft is trying to get a cut of EVERYTHING.I can't stand what Microburp is doing with Win  10 and forcing their agenda onto us because we have no choice.

Epic has been doing the exact opposite of the scum businesses by offering discounts.30% is absolute robbery.
This exact subject came up during the government inquiry into monopoly trends by the big 4.They asked about the 30% and Googles response was to dance around the question and ended with ,we will get back to your offices with the documentation you need.

I hope Sweeney keeps shoving back at these giants,nobody else has,somebody needs to do it.Apples push here is actually just feeding the proof the government is looking for to attack these giants from trying to create a monopoly.If Apple was actually offering something like Epic is doing then sure all is good for the consumer,but Google/Apple all these giants are trying to own the entire show.

Apple never gives,they are a take take business.

Vrika

BruceYee said:

Slapshot1188 said:

I think Epic is s piece of shit company. I think Fortnite is a piece of shit game... but this was actually a really creative marketing move that strikes gold. And I kind of hope they win because... Apple.

Are you okay with companies selling their products on a platform then try to get around paying the fee every seller agrees to by any means necessary?

BOTH Apple and Epic suck but in this case Epic is trying to be a scammer. If Epic doesn't have to pay the 30% fee then NO other company should have to pay that but as usual Epic is only looking out for themselves and trying to even manipulate THEIR OWN customers into believing something that's false.

Since they're taking Apple to court, yes I'm ok with it.

We used to be in a situation where if you bought gramophone, CD player, VHS player or something similar then you as consumer were free to buy your media from any source and it would work.

With the advance of technology device makers have been able to change the rules so that they act as gatekeepers into what you can do - and Apple is the worst one. It's something that should be examined in court/by legislators.

Twinzclone

I would be okay with people taking Apple to court over this stuff but the way Epic has done it is scummy. They clearly planned on getting banned from the app store, I mean they had a video ready. In my opinion this is just as bad as Silicon Knights using the Unreal Engine, being unhappy with the service, and modifying it to try to access it for free.

Aeander

Both companies look terrible in this. But I'm rooting for Epic on this one. Any attempt to disrupt high-percentage take monopolies is good for the industry.

Amathe

First Affirmative Defense.

You will be assimilated.

Sandmanjw

Heh kind of ironic i guess that it is epic complaining...but i hope both google and apple lose in court and they get taken down a bit.

The more of these huge monopolistic corporations we have, the worse it is for everyone.

ChildoftheShadows

Apple doesn’t allow apps to be installed through any other means than their App Store. They require developers pay 30% of every transaction. 

If you accept that shit, hey, you be you, but there’s no way in hell i will. 

And fuck steam will I’m at it. 

Sovrath

Gorwe said:

Oh my, Scammers shouldn't really mar and tarnish the reputation of a work of art such as '84*. I mean, both are scummy companies, but I hope EGS loses here. No love for them.

*'84 is about the big government trampling all over individual rights, how can another company blacklisting you be anything like '84(they're probably trying to use your common "the freer the market, the freer the people" scam)? Don't make me laugh!

They are using the 1984 Apple commercial. Not the book.

Quizzical

How did Epic think this was going to end? The whole point of offering stores like that is that the company that runs the store gets a cut of the sales. They pretty much have to kick out any products that so blatantly violate their policy by avoiding giving the store a cut of their sales. Google and Apple did what they pretty much had to do in response to such a flagrant violation of their rules. If the Epic store were more established, Epic almost surely would have done the same to a game that tried to avoid giving Epic a cut of the sales to be in their store.

There is an enormous difference between Google and Apple here in that you can get Android apps without going through the Google Play store, but for iOS, everything has to go through Apple. If the latter upsets you, then don't buy anything that runs iOS. Apple has handled iOS that way from the very start, so it's not like they're springing a surprise on you years later.

sayuu

you want to be on any companies platform you pay your dues like everyone else.


I'm with Apple and Google on this one

Untamedgunner

Epic is doing good worth around 5 billion I think. But Apple is worth over 2 trillion! Come on talk about a 'o'mega corp Apple is the definition lol. I applaud Epic for doing whats right for it's own company and share holders trying to help there value go up, well increasing there direct profit. Apple does not like getting shaved out of the cut. So Epic is now Apples warning device for all apps. It is suppose to be free Market businesses should be able to run there services and pricing the way they see fit period. Well then again according to Apple I guess not.

Phaedruslives

"Alea Iacta est" Kind of the spirit of Epic's move. We'll see how it all pans out.

rojoArcueid

Regardless of who wins and who loses this case, the pig picture here is that mobile users are losing access to their game and if they spent money on it on that platform they just lost their money as well. This has happened on PC and on console before. And Google did it with the Shadowrun games a while ago too.

My take on this? EFF every monopolistic company that pull this kind of crap, taking users money then removing the game because there's a fly on their soup.

/rant.

Sovrath

rojoArcueid said:

Regardless of who wins and who loses this case, the pig picture here is that mobile users are losing access to their game and if they spent money on it on that platform they just lost their money as well. This has happened on PC and on console before. And Google did it with the Shadowrun games a while ago too.

My take on this? EFF every monopolistic company that pull this kind of crap, taking users money then removing the game because there's a fly on their soup.

/rant.

Well, if the company expects to be paid for their service and those using the service create a way to circumvent that then why shouldn't they remove them?

If that is indeed what is going on here.

Kyleran

Quizzical said:

How did Epic think this was going to end? The whole point of offering stores like that is that the company that runs the store gets a cut of the sales. They pretty much have to kick out any products that so blatantly violate their policy by avoiding giving the store a cut of their sales. Google and Apple did what they pretty much had to do in response to such a flagrant violation of their rules. If the Epic store were more established, Epic almost surely would have done the same to a game that tried to avoid giving Epic a cut of the sales to be in their store.

There is an enormous difference between Google and Apple here in that you can get Android apps without going through the Google Play store, but for iOS, everything has to go through Apple. If the latter upsets you, then don't buy anything that runs iOS. Apple has handled iOS that way from the very start, so it's not like they're springing a surprise on you years later.

But it could be an anti-trust issue.

Kyleran

Rhoklaw said:

Maybe we'll get lucky and both companies will go bankrupt in court.

Yeah, I was trying to think of scenarios where both companies lose, so good thought.

I know, the US government orders Apple broken up like Big Bell was, and Epic is forced to sell off Fortnite to another company.

bcbully

Gettem epic!

FrodoFragins

I don't really see how Apple is a monopoly, which is Epic's legal claim, as there's Android. But, when they both charge 30% to be on their platform it gets damn tricky. Does it become collusion?

PC doesn't have that issue as there are tons more alternatives to Steam AND I've played steam games that let you make payments outside of their ecosystem. Hell even blizzard let's you buy hearthstone stuff at a discount on Amazon.

PS: I despise Apple 10x more than I hate Epic. Apple pretty much never does things that benefit the consumer. and they actually do tons of things that make it worse for the consumer, such as massively overpriced hardware and only allowing their company techs to do repairs.

lahnmir

Ohhh Epic, violating the Apple platforms rule, and Google one while you are at it, and then pull at the consumers heart strings when your product gets banned. I love it, they are trying 100% to disrupt the status quo and I can’t not applaud that. Quite the creative way of doing it too, a bit scummy but still not as bad as the monopoly like positions both Apple and Google have. Ohh, and Steam, keep pestering them too please.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

houro

It COULD be called anti monopoly, if they didn't try the same crap with Google, where there ARE ways to get apps other than play store. Also, you don't film clips like the one they have shown in a single day. It's a publicity stunt and nothing else.