PC Gaming Epic Games Vs. Apple

[Husky_Khan]

There's been a fight brewing between Apple and Epic Games these past few days and it's only growing hotter... And it might have ramifications far beyond those two companies.

Does Apple Or Epic Understand What They’re Doing In This ‘Fortnite’ Fight?

Yesterday, the Godzilla versus Mechagodzilla like battle of Epic Games versus Apple took a seemingly unexpected turn.

www.forbes.com

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

There's been a fight brewing between Apple and Epic Games these past few days and it's only growing hotter... And it might have ramifications far beyond those two companies.

Does Apple Or Epic Understand What They’re Doing In This ‘Fortnite’ Fight?

Yesterday, the Godzilla versus Mechagodzilla like battle of Epic Games versus Apple took a seemingly unexpected turn.

www.forbes.com

One can only hope they destroy each other, one can only hope.

 

[Doomsought]

If you aren't paying for it, then you are the product.

 

[Husky_Khan]

One can only hope they destroy each other, one can only hope.

Well Apple in valuation of equity is almost six times larger then Epic Games so hopefully those Fortnite gamers can take out a half dozen of those Apple fanboys each. Maybe deconstruct the suicide netting outside of the Apple factories with their picks or whatever it is they use in that game.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Looks like Epic Games is Coalition building in its growing war with Apple.

Leading App Developers Form The Coalition for App Fairness to Promote Competition and Protect Innovation on Digital Platforms - Coalition for App Fairness

Newly published “App Store Principles” provide a roadmap of acceptable practices for operators of the most popular platforms BRUSSELS and WASHINGTON D.C. – Basecamp, Blix, Blockchain.com, Deezer, Epic Games, the European Publishers Council, Match Group, News Media Europe, Prepear, Protonmail, Sky

appfairness.org

They created a Coalition for App Fairness or CAF which is "an independent nonprofit organization. CAF will advocate for enforcement and reforms, including legal and regulatory changes, to preserve consumer choice and a level playing field for app and game developers that rely on app stores and the most popular gatekeeper platforms."

Some recognizable names there like Spotify and Protonmail have joined the Coalition or whatever. Looks like it'll make this Big Tech spat a wee bit more interesting.

 

[Ryune]

Honestly, I really like the idea behind what Riot is doing here. I specifically left using apple devices because of just how walled off the garden was. But on the other hand, I really like the idea of having an app store that can give a guarantee that the software it curates isn't going to fork over my personal data or ruin whatever device it's installed on. It might not be a bullet proof guarantee but it's still a bit of assurance. The idea of being able to have multiple app stores that compete in the same way that brick and mortar stores do is attractive.

 

[Husky_Khan]

U.S. judge urges Apple, Epic Games to put antitrust claims before jury

District Court Judge urges Apple and Epic Games to take this case before a Jury as Upper Courts would be unlikely to overrule previous rulings.

 

[Ryune]

Hmmm, that could be great or terrible for either side... Can someone who has more experience with these things elaborate how this being a jury trial would change things? Also, there were previous rulings on this kind of thing?

 

[Husky_Khan]

Epic Games v. Apple Antitrust Trial Set for May 3, 2021 – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer

U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has set a trial date for the Epic Games v. Apple antitrust lawsuit. In an order dated Oct. 6, Rogers set a bench trial to begin on May 3, 2021. Rogers indicated in a September hearing that a bench trial might not be possible until sometime in the

esportsobserver.com

Apple vs. Epic Games going to trial now. A schexule for the Court proceedings has even been laid out.

> NON-EXPERT DISCOVERY CUTOFF: February 15, 2021
> DISCLOSURE OF EXPERT REPORTS:
ALL EXPERTS, RETAINED AND NON-RETAINED
MUST PROVIDE WRITTEN REPORTS COMPLIANT
WITH FRCP 26(A)(2)(B): Opening: February 15, 2021, Rebuttal: March 15, 2021
> EXPERT DISCOVERY CUTOFF: March 31, 20211
> DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS2
/ DAUBERT MOTIONS To
BE HEARD BY: None to be filed without conference
COMPLIANCE HEARING (SEE BELOW) April 2, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
> JOINT PRETRIAL CONFERENCE STATEMENT: April 9, 2021
> PRETRIAL CONFERENCE: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
T> RIAL DATE AND LENGTH: Monday, May 3, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. (Bench Trial)

 

[Husky_Khan]

Epic Games v. Apple: The Australian EDITION!

Fortnite's Epic Games brings Apple legal fight to Australia

Epic founder Tim Sweeney says Apple's conduct breaches consumer law, iPhone should be opened up to competing app stores and payment methods.

www.smh.com.au

Epic now alleges that Apple has violated Australian consumer law.

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

So Epic and Apple are going to be wasting each other's resources? That sounds like a win-win scenario to me.

 

[PsihoKekec]

Especially for the lawyers.

 

[Husky_Khan]

The Epic versus Apple Conflict has opened a new front in the West... In the EU specifically. The lawsuits filed here are similar to the ones Epic Games issued in in North America, Britain and Australia.

Epic Games files an antitrust complaint against Apple in Europe

The complaint follows similar legal action in the US, UK, and Australia.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[Husky_Khan]

Apple calls for aid! Will Valve answer?

No. Valve will not answer.

Valve refuses Apple's demand for Epic game sales volumes in App Store legal battle | AppleInsider

Apple is demanding that Valve needs to produce documents pertaining to sales data in the PC gaming market — and Valve has refused the demand and requests relief from the "burden" that revealing the data will impose.

appleinsider.com

Valve argues that legal argument at the core of Apple versus Epic only pertains to mobile video games and apps, not desktop PC game distributors. Providing confidential sales and revenue information doesn't help Apple's case, according to Valve, and only provides data otherwise not available to competitors like Epic.

 

[Bear Ribs]

Valve has a long history of trying to keep their Steam numbers under wraps, and with good reason given how much insight their competition could glean from them. They'd have to be insane to just hand it over to Apple, a potential competitor, and Epic, an active competitor, for no benefit to themselves. Apple will have to pry that data loose with a court order.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Court Orders Valve to release sales data (as per Apples request) on over 400 games in the ongoing Apple v. Epic Games legal battles.

District court judge orders Valve to hand over Steam sales data to Apple

This is unfortunate news for Valve. As the company explained in its original position statement, since it's a private firm, it is not obligated to store and...

www.techspot.com

 

[Husky_Khan]

The presiding Judge is planning on holding an in-person trial starting in May in regards to the Epic v. Apple saga. The pandemic has a vote, but likely only in regards as to whether it remains in person or via Zoom or whatever.

Judge in Apple v. Epic Games Case Wants In-Person Trial Starting on May 3

Lawyers for Epic Games and Apple today participated in a management conference with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez to hammer out the details of an upcoming...

www.macrumors.com

 

[ParadiseLost]

Well, I'm glad I don't own that game then. It seemed rather silly to buy a game that lets me simulate designing PCs when I can do the same thing with nothing more than a notepad and a web browser.

Eh, its a lot more than that... its also a tycoon game in the sense that it allows you to create and manage your own PC sales / custom build business.

The presiding Judge is planning on holding an in-person trial starting in May in regards to the Epic v. Apple saga. The pandemic has a vote, but likely only in regards as to whether it remains in person or via Zoom or whatever.

Judge in Apple v. Epic Games Case Wants In-Person Trial Starting on May 3

Lawyers for Epic Games and Apple today participated in a management conference with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez to hammer out the details of an upcoming...

www.macrumors.com

It also means billions of dollars of revenue for those involved.

This trial could seriously impact not only Apple and Epic, but Sony, Microsoft, Google, and even Valve.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Looks like the trial will begin May 3rd if nothing else changes.

A resolution could be drawing near. Starting May 3, the dispute goes to trial before federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, Calif. The judge must decide whether Apple is misusing its power to quash competition or if Epic is merely trying to break its contract with the iPhone maker to boost its bottom line.

From the way the article presents it, Sweeney and Epic Games looked like they were kind of spoiling for a fight over an issue which could have big ramifications for many Big Tech companies, especially in regards to creators like Epic Games sharing revenue with platforms such as Apple or Google.

The article also details Sweeney's rise to prominence and how he played hardball with Sony a few years ago and now they are helping invest in his company.

Fortnite's mastermind goes to battle with Apple

The billionaire behind one of the most successful videogames of all time came to view Apple Inc. as an existential threat to his dream of the future. So Tim Sweeney decided to fight. He gave his dispute with the world's biggest company a code name: Project Liberty.

www.foxbusiness.com

Seriously, it's a pretty good article and details the whole Lawsuit from well before the beginning up until this point. I'd recommend giving it a read if your even remotely interested in this case or its potential ramifications.

 

[ParadiseLost]

Tim Sweeney is delusional. There's no chance of Fortnite being a basis for the metaverse, and he's not going to beat Apple.