
The most important part of any antitrust case is market definition. What was surprising, though - and, frankly, a much more interesting question for the Court of Appeals - is that Judge Gonzalez Rogers also issued an injunction banning Apple’s anti-steering provision while I do think Apple’s anti-steering provision is anti-competitive, this injunction is an odd outcome of this specific case, and a source of much confusion about what this decision was actually about. That is indeed what happened: Apple won, and it wasn’t particularly close Epic has already filed an appeal, but I doubt it will succeed. Apple is both straight-forward and predictable I wrote that the iPhone company would likely win when the lawsuit was filed, and argued that the law was firmly on Apple’s side in App Store Arguments. As all the proceedings continue, we'll be sure to keep you in the know.The vast majority of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers decision in Epic v. While Judge Gonzalez is a federal judge – so isn't obliged to follow state's laws with her rulings – this development could bolster the arguments of Epic Game's lawyers.įor now, the Australian, UK, and European battles have yet to progress very far for now.
#Epic vs apple nintendo trial#
We also know that the American trial will be a bench trial – so there will be no jury and the judge will make decisions. Apple and Epic Games will only have to convince one person to agree with them in this first Apple vs Epic Games fight.Īn Arizona bill could also have some impact on this case. She did let Epic keep its developer accounts though, so it can continue to provide maintenance for the Unreal Engine on iOS and macOS systems. However, before the trial began Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers (who is presiding over the case in the US) denied Epic’s request for Fortnite to be hosted on iOS pending trial results. The first days have been filled with Fortnite metaverse details and how crossplay works in each region but nothing else right now.

The US court battle has now begun, though not much has happened. However Judge Rogers – who is in charge of the US trial – seems cautious of this and is relying on Epic to be able to explain why the App Store is specifically a problem and not others in its arguments. The verdict could also have a far-reaching impact on other digital storefronts, like Xbox Live, PlayStation Store, and the Nintendo eShop. Given that Epic’s fight with Apple began because of Apple’s 30% cut, it feels likely that Epic would want to take less of a share through its own store (perhaps 12% to match the Epic Games Store on PC).

#Epic vs apple nintendo Pc#
However, some games might be exclusive to only one store.Įpic’s app store could operate like its PC game one, offering developers that use it a larger cut of revenue than other outlets.

#Epic vs apple nintendo download#
Think of it like Steam and the Epic Games store on PC, rather than having to download a game from just one store, players are free to use either. If Epic wins it hopes to be able to launch its own version of the App Store on iPhones. There is a chance that the final verdicts of each Apple vs Epic Games case will maintain the current situation, Fortnite can’t be played directly on Apple devices but other Unreal Engine made games are okay to stay.

There’s a lot at stake based on each trial’s outcome. This violation could not only keep Fortnite off iPhone devices if the court upholds Apple’s decision, but could see any game made using the Unreal Engine (the popular Epic Games owned game engine) also removed. The Fortnite developer would like to launch a rival app store on Apple gadgets and open up the opportunity for other non-App Store routes onto the iPhone.Īpple on the other hand is arguing that its platform is fair and that Epic violated agreements it had with Apple by updating Fortnite without permission to circumvent sharing a cut of V-Bucks earnings with them. Epic is arguing that these policies are restrictive and going further to argue that Apple’s walled garden iPhone platform has led to an effective monopoly. The whole #FreeFortnite campaign began due to a protest against the App Store’s 30% cut of purchases made through it. The exact wording of each side's arguments is slightly different depending on local laws for the different regions, but the crux of the Apple vs Epic Games debates is largely the same.Įpic Games has been fairly vocal with its dislike for Apple’s current App Store policies.
