Tag Archives: Epic Games

Epic Debuts The Epic Game Store On iOS In The EU

Gaming

Epic Games today officially launched a rival app for iOS in the European Union, marking the first time Apple’s own App Store has had to face a serious rival. The Epic Games Store will initially offer Epic’s games, including Fortnite, for users to download onto their iPhones, with plans to start onboarding third-party developers’ games beginning December, Wired reported.

The launch, the most dramatic outcome of a series of new EU tech rules passed over the last year, imports the long-standing rivalry between Epic and Apple onto European soil. Epic says its app store will take a minimum 12 percent commission on sales, undercutting Apple’s App Store, where fees can reach up to 30 percent. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney hailed the arrival of the Epic Games Store to iOS as a way to fix the “largely broken” mobile gaming industry.  “Competition wouldn’t crush Apple’s App Store,” he said.  “It would force Apple to compete with better prices and with better features and better promotions and better deals and less advertising.”

Epic Games  posted: The Epic Games Store Launches on Mobile

Today the Epic Games Store is available for download on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices worldwide. The store is launching with Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe and the all-new Fall Guys for mobile, and we are working to enable all developers to launch their games and apps through the Epic Games Store in the future. We are also bringing our games to independent mobile stores including AltStore PAL today.

…We are launching on iOS devices in the European Union thanks to the Digital Markets Act, but Apple is still blocking all other iOS users outside of Europe from accessing Fortnite and Epic Games Store for iOS.

For now, the process of installing the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android is lengthy due to Apple and Google introducing intentionally poor-quality install experiences laden by multiple steps, confusing device settings, and scare screens. We are continuing to fight in courts an work with regulators around the globe to eliminate the anticompetitive terms that Apple and Google impose on developers and consumers, so we can build a better store for everyone.

Fortnite maker Epic Games on Friday launched an alternative app store for iPhone users in Europe, The Wall Street Journal reported. Spotify this week began directing Europeans on its iOS music-streaming app to the company’s website to sign up for subscriptions, something it wasn’t previously permitted to do.

Apple separately said Wednesday that it plans to make it possible for developers in the U.S. and several other countries to offer secure contactless payments through their own apps on iPhones. Apple had previously committed to opening contactless payment technology in Europe to settle a European Union antitrust case.

Epic Games said Friday that its new app store for iPhone users in Europe will initially offer three games: Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe. Those games will also be made available through other alternative app stores in Europe beginning with one called AltStore, Epic said.

In my opinion, this is yet another situation where Apple and Epic Games disagree with each other. For whatever reason, this just keeps happening.

Apple Approves The Epic Games Store On iPhones And iPads In The EU

Apple,

Apple said on Friday that it has approved Epic Games’ games marketplace app on iPhones and iPads in Europe, after the “Fortnite” maker escalated its feud with the technology giant, accusing it of hindering its efforts to set up a games store on the devices, Reuters reported.

Apple said the latest spat concerned the Epic Sweden AB Marketplace has nothing to do with the video games maker’s Fortnite app which has already been given the green light.

Apps developers and antitrust regulators have criticized Apple’s tight control of the iOS app ecosystem.

Before Apple’s announcement, Epic said the iPhone maker had twice rejected documents the video-game publisher submitted to launch the Epic Games Store because of the design of certain buttons and labels was similar to those used by its App Store.

The European Commission, which opened an investigation into the checks and reviews put in place to validate apps and alternative app stores to be sideloaded last month, declined to comment.

TechCrunch reported: After multiple rejections, Apple has approved Fortnite maker Epic Games’ third-party app marketplace for launch in the EU. As now permitted by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Epic announced earlier this year it planned to bring both the digital storefront and its flagship game, Fortnite, back to iOS in Europe

However, Friday, Epic Games took to X (formerly Twitter) to complain that Apple had rejected its submission twice over concerns that it’s Games Store looked too much like Apple’s App Store. Epic then said it would take the matter to European regulators for review.

Later in the day, Apple approved the third-party marketplace app on the condition that Epic Games would make the necessary corrections in a subsequent update.

NBC News reported reported Apple has signed off on the Epic Games Store in the European Union after the gaming company publicly complained that the tech giant had repeatedly rejected their application, which Epic Games said was a violation of the E.U. law.

On Friday morning, the Epic Games Newsroom account posted on X, accusing Apple of rejecting the Epic Games Store notarization submission twice because of similarities to Apple’s own App Store. A few hours later, the account shared that the Epic Games Store submission had been accepted.

The Epic Games Store is a virtual storefront for consumers to purchase various games, including Fortnite.

A representative of Apple confirmed in a statement to NBC News that the Epic Sweden AB Marketplace app has now been approved but that they have asked Epic Games to make its Marketplace less similar to the Apple App Store in the future.

In my opinion, this situation isn’t new. Apple and Epic Games have been fighting with each other, over and over again, for years. I highly doubt either of these two companies will give up the fight.

Apple Reinstates Epic Developer Account After Public Backlash For Retaliaton

Gaming,

Epic Games wrote: We recently announced that Apple approved our Epic Games Sweden AB developer account. We intended to use that account to bring the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to iOS devices in Europe thanks to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). To our surprise, Apple has terminated that account and now we cannot develop the Epic Games Store for iOS. This is a serious violation of the DMA and shows Apple has no intention of allowing competition on iOS devices…

…In terminating Epic’s developer account, Apple is taking out one of the largest potential competitors to the Apple App Store. They are undermining our ability to be a viable competitor and they are showing other developers what happens when you try to compete with Apple or are critical of their unfair practices…

…Apple said one of the reasons why they terminated our developer account only a few weeks after approving it was because we publicly criticized their proposed DMA compliance plan. Apple cited this X post from this thread written by Tim Sweeney. Apple is retaliating against Epic for speaking out against Apple’s unfair and illegal practices, just as they’ve done to other developers time and time again.

And there there was an update: “Apple has told us and committed to the European Commission that they will reinstate our developer account. This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Market Act and hold gatekeepers accountable. We are moving forward as planned to launch the Epic Games Store and bring Fortnite back to iOS in Europe. Onward!”

ArsTechnica reported that Apple has agreed to reinstate Epic Game’s Swedish iOS developer account just days after Epic publicized Apple’s decision to rescind that account. The move once again paves the way for Epic’s plans to release a sideloadable version of the Epic Games Store and Fortnite on iOS devices in Europe.

“Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our DMA policies,” Apple said in a statement provided to ArsTechnica. “As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program.”

According to ArsTechnica, Apple’s quick turnaround comes just a day after the European Commission said it was opening an investigation into Apple’s conduct under the new Digital Markets Act and other potentially applicable European regulations. That investigation could have entailed hefty fines of up to “10 percent of the company’s total worldwide turnover,” if Apple was found to be in violation.

In my opinion, it certainly sounds like the two companies were bickering with each other in a way that resembles something that a middle-schooler would do. Hopefully, this spat is over and done with now.

Supreme Court Declines To Review Epic’s App Store Case

Apple, ,

Apple will have to comply with a sweeping injunction reshaping its relationship with mobile app developers and potentially billions of dollars in app-related sales, after the US Supreme Court declined to review the lower court’s order on Tuesday, CNN reported.

Apple estimated in 2022 that developers generated $1.1 trillion in the App Store that year, making the high court’s decision not to hear the case a major blow to Apple.

According to CNN, Apple generally takes a 30% cut of in-app purchases of digital goods and services, though it takes a lower 15% cut in some situations and the company has said many app makers pay no commission at all.

The company for years has sought to prevent app makers from using buttons, links, or other features within iOS to direct consumers to purchase in-app content through payment channels other than Apple’s.

By not hearing Apple’s petition, the Supreme Court leaves in place a nationwide injunction prohibiting Apple from intervening when developers include such features in their apps.

It also highlights how a lawsuit triggered by “Fortnite”-maker Epic Games appears to have resulted in lasting changes to Apple’s app store, affecting potentially millions of apps across iOS.

In a related decision, the Supreme Court declined to hear Epic’s own appeal, which claimed that lower courts had wrongly concluded Apple’s app store practices did not violate federal antitrust law but did violate aspects of California’s unfair competition law.

In a thread posted on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that while the court’s rejection of its petition was “a sad outcome” in Epic’s fight to force open Apple’s app store, the surviving injunction will allow app-makers “to tell US customers about better prices on the web.”

Reuters reported that the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a challenge to a lower court’s decision requiring changes to certain rules in its lucrative App Store, as the justices shunned the lengthy battle between the iPhone maker Epic Games, maker of the popular game “Fortnite.”

Reuters wrote that the justices also turned away Epic’s appeal of the lower court’s ruling that Apple’s App Store policies limiting how software is distributed and paid for do not violate federal antitrust laws. The justices gave no reasons for their decision to deny the appeals.

According to Reuter’s Apple’s stock fell more than 2% in early trading on Tuesday.

Personally, I think this is the end of the litigation road for both Apple and Epic Games in this specific situation. The Supreme Court appears to be done with this particular case.

A Recap Of Epic Games VS Google

Gaming, ,

The first day of the Epic Games vs. Google antitrust trial ended after both sides gave opening statements and two witnesses testified, VentureBeat reported.

According to VentureBeat, Epic’s lead attorney Gary Bornstein opened with a chart that showed the Google Play Store accounted for 90% of app installs in the year the lawsuit was filed, 2020, despite the fact that Google “will say” that the Samsung app store is installed on 60% of all Android smartphones. But Bornstein noted that a tiny sliver of the market share belongs to Samsung.

Bornstein argued that Google pays actual potential competitors not to compete and gives them money and other things of value. Bornstein says this is anti-competitive.

Epic also said it knows that Google will argue that it allows “sideloading” of apps as an alternative to using the Google Play Store. But Epic Games said Google through hoops in the way of users who were considering sideloading. Epic said that Google’s 30% fee for its app store operating profit amount to $12 billion a year and carry a 70% margin, compared to 24% in 2014.

Bornstein said that Google’s codename for shady deals was Project Hug, where Google allegedly paid developers such as Riot Games not to compete with the Google Play Store.

Bornstein also said that because many of Google’s alleged anticompetitive acts started in 2019, Google didn’t need those things to protect its fledgling app store. Rather, it merely intended to protect its monopoly. He also said that Google doesn’t have a monopoly on making app downloading secure, and that side-loaded apps didn’t represent a real security threat.

CNBC reported that Google is headed back to court for its second antitrust trial in two months, this time in defense of its Android Play Store.

According to CNBC, while Google continues to argue against monopoly claims brought by the Department of Justice and a bipartisan group of states in Washington, D.C., District Court, the company now has to simultaneously face off against Epic Games in a federal court in San Francisco.

The trial involving Epic, which began Monday, revolted around Google’s treatment of third-party developers, and will be closely watched by Apple, which operates the rival iPhone App Store. Both companies have been accused by developers of taking an unfair cut of revenue from in-app payments and for making it harder for app creators to communicate with their customers.

An Epic victory could force Google to make changes to Android, where it charges a 15% to 30% fee on digital goods and services purchases within the apps. It could allow Epic to get its store pre-installed on devices, potentially making it easier for users to bypass Google’s store to download games.

CNBC reported that at issue with the DOJ’s monopoly case, which went to trial in September, is whether Google violated the law through exclusive agreements with mobile phone manufacturers and browser makers to make its search engine the default for consumers. That case could determine whether Google is able to continue using its heft to keep its prime positioning on smartphones.

It seems to me that the Epic vs Google case is one that seems to keep ending up in courtroom battles. Eventually, we will know the outcome of this particular case. But that might not be the end of this battle.

Bandcamp Music Industry Darling Gutted By 50% Layoff

Music, ,

Bandcamp built a unique music business: profitable and good artists with a popular editorial arm. Now, half the employees at the Bay Area firm are losing their jobs, victims of a sudden corporate swap, SFGATE reported.

The Oakland-based company was purchased by Epic Games – makers of Fortnight and Gears of War – in early 2022. In September, just a year and a half later, Epic announced its plan to sell Bandcamp to Songtradr, a Santa Monica company that specializes in music licenses. Just 50% of Bandcamp’s employees got offers in the acquisition, Songtradr spokesperson Lindsay Nahmiache told SFGATE on Monday.

Of Bandcamp’s 118 employees, 58 did not receive offers, and 60 did, Nahmaiche said. One of Bandcamp’s remaining employees confirmed this Monday, saying that around 60 people are gone from the company Slack. SFGATE granted the employee anonymity in accordance with Hearst’s ethics policy. Bandcamp co-founder and former CEO Ethan Diamond’s Slack account is also now deactivated, according to a screenshot viewed by SFGATE.

The Verge reported that Epic Games bought the indie music platform back in 2022 for an undisclosed amount before selling it barely a year later.

Late last month, Epic Games laid off 16 percent of its workforce, or 830 employees, due to what CEO Tim Sweeney described as overspending. Epic also revealed that it would sell the Bandcamp business to California-based music licensing company Songtradr. In that announcement, Epic disclosed that an additional 250 people would be leaving Epic either through receiving offers from Songtradr or Epic’s divesture from its SuperAwesome ad business. Employees who did not receive offers from Songtradr were notified today and will be eligible for severance.

In an email to The Verge, Songtradr confirmed that 50 percent of Bandcamp employees have been extended offers to join Songtradr and reaffirmed from a previous statement the company’s commitment to keeping the Bandcamp experience the same.

TechCrunch reported the venerable digital music marketplace was acquired by Epic last year, but clearly the Fortnite maker wasn’t quite sure what to do with the company, and late last month resold it to music licensing platform Songtradr as part of a wave of cost-cutting.

According to TechCrunch, it was known from the start that layoffs would happen, and indeed, Epic and Songtradr were fairly straightforward about their necessity as part of the deal – technically the employees were laid off by Epic ahead of the formal acquisition, though it was Songtradr that decided who would and would not be hired.

Songtradr explained in a statement: “Over the past few years the operating costs of Bandcamp have significantly increased. It required some adjustments to ensure a sustainable and healthy company that can serve its community of artists and fans. After a comprehensive evaluation, including the importantance of roles for smooth business operations and preexisting functions at Songtradr, 50% of Bandcamp employees have accepted offers to join Songtradr.”

Personally, I’m sad that Bandcamp is now under new ownership. I’m hoping that things won’t drastically change under Songtradr, and that I will still be able to buy music, and support the artists who created that music, from Bandcamp. Songtradr needs to be extremely careful about the choices it makes with its new acquisition.

Epic Games To Update Unreal Pricing For Devs Outside Game Industry

Gaming

A week after laying off almost 900 employees, Epic Games announced that it’s increasing the price to use Unreal Engine – not just for the game development community, Game Developer reported.

The news came from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney himself in a presentation at Unreal Fest 2023. In a video captured by Fortnite Creative developer Immature (and spotted by Game World Observer), Sweeney explains that developers using Unreal Engine in the film, TV, automotive, and other industries can expect to start paying a per-seat licensing fee.

He claimed that the pricing model will not be “unusually expensive or unusually inexpensive,” and that its pricing structure will be similar to subscription services like Maya of Photoshop. Sweeney said he wanted to announce these changes now in the name of “transparency”.

GeekWire reported that the recent round of layoffs at Epic Games impacted its office in Bellevue, Wash., with 39 employees affected, according to a new filing with the Washington state Employment Security Department (ESD).

According to GeekWire, Epic, headquartered in Raleigh N.C., is arguably best-known as the developer behind the popular shooter Fortnite. It’s also the creator of an eponymous digital storefront for PC games and the publisher of the Unreal Engine, a high-end toolkit for game development and 3D modeling.

“For a while now, we’ve been spending way more money than we earn,” Sweeney wrote. “Investing in the next evolution of Epic and growing Fortnite as a metaverse-inspired ecosystem for creators. I had long been optimistic that we could power through this transition without layoffs, but in retrospect, I see that this was unrealistic.

GeekWire reported that affected employees, per Sweeney’s memo, have received a severance package that includes career transition services and six months’ base pay and healthcare.

Engadget also reported that Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says the company is adjusting Unreal Engine pricing for non-gaming developers in fields like film / TV and automotive.

“We haven’t officially announced this, but in the interest of transparency, we want to put it out there,” Sweeney said in an presentation from Unreal Fest 2023. The CEO did not mention the specific pricing but said Epic’s licensing model would resemble those of tools like Maya and Photoshop.

According to Engadget, Sweeney sounded (understandably) determined to differentiate Epic’s price hike from Unity’s. The latter stirred the ire of countless developers as it announced a per-install pricing model that many smaller developers claimed would put them out of business. Unity ended up walking back many of the plan’s most contentious changes.

The Verge reported that in posts on X, Sweeney clarified that educators and students will be able to continue to use Unreal Engine for free, and there will be a minimum revenue threshold for indie filmmakers and others whose commercial projects earn below a certain amount – though Sweeney didn’t specify what that threshold would be.

It sounds to me like CEO Tim Sweeney believes that his company is failing, and decided to solve that problem with layoffs. I’m hoping that the workers who were laid off will apply to other gaming companies, and get hired quickly.