The antitrust case between epic and apple does not seem to end in the foreseeable future.
On February 20, according to foreign media Pcgamer, apple subpoenaed valve in its ongoing lawsuit with Epic Games to provide a large amount of business data that can be traced back to steam sales and operations a few years ago.
However, apple failed to get what it wanted and was defeated by valve.
Epic hard just Apple, Apple has its competitors to testify for themselves?
So, why valve?
The platform mainly includes digital rights management, multiplayer games, streaming media and social network services. Users can use steam to install and update games, use community and cloud storage functions, and developers can use Steamworks to integrate steam functions into their products.
But valve is not epic, and there is no fortress night on steam platform. Why did Apple pull valve into the water?
Steam platform is a leading digital game publisher on PC and a direct competitor of epic game store. Therefore, the sales and operation information of steam digital market can show the fierce market competition of epic game store.
Based on this, Apple hopes valve can provide a large amount of business data about steam's sales and operation, so as to prove epic's improper operation in the competition.
In addition, there are more detailed requirements, including the name of each app on steam, the date range of launch of each app, and the price of all apps and in app purchases.
Obviously, valve won't agree.
Valve said:
We have cooperated with each other within a reasonable scope and provided documents on revenue sharing, competition with epic, and steam's contract. However, it is unreasonable to claim that it is required to provide six-year sales of hundreds of third-party games and items, as well as confidential information on the revenue of these games and valves.
First of all, steam game platform is the main position, which is the computer end rather than the mobile platform.
Secondly, valve is not epic, and there is no fortress night on steam platform.
So, valve's view is:
We have reason to believe that Apple wants to take the opportunity to obtain a large amount of sensitive business data.
At the same time, they also pointed out that they did not keep some data required by apple, because they did not need such information in the normal business process.
Epic plans to sue Apple worldwide, code named Project Liberty
Of course, that's not all. Epic is still planning to challenge apple.
In August 2020, epic officially raised the banner of resistance. The prosecution of apple for taking 30% of the purchase share of "Fortress night" is too overbearing, which is regarded as a difficult struggle between Internet game developers and monopoly app stores, and has aroused strong concern of the technology industry.
The founding members of the alliance include Epic Games, spotify, tile, deezer, match, newsmediaeurope and protonmail.
The alliance is mainly aimed at Apple App store, which charges 15% - 30% commission for each in app purchase transaction.
Obviously, epic has caught a topic Apple has been criticized for: Apple tax.
As a result, apple allowed companies with an annual income of less than $1 million to pay only 15% of the share fee, successfully saving a wave of popularity.
Epic said the lawsuit is to further open up Apple's platform so that small developers can benefit and thus bring freedom to them.
Although the focus is on the 30% commission policy of the app store, epic said that in the final analysis, it is their view that open platform is the key to the future of free market and network.
According to incomplete statistics, up to now, epic has extended the war to the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom antitrust regulators and the European Commission.
However, apple is still not afraid.
Previously, Apple has repeatedly said that the app store has been helping developers build applications that can change the world, and Epic Games is one of the most successful developers of the app store, with millions of IOS game users. But Apple's first task is to provide users with a safe and reliable place. Apple will treat all developers equally in protecting the rights and interests of consumers. Epic Games has violated the rights and interests of consumers, which must not be tolerated.
Judging from epic's plan, this time, epic is ready to fight apple for a long time, and apple, which is facing antitrust litigation, will meet more challenges.
reference material:
【2】https://www.leiphone.com/news/202011/rBfHpjo8D11IYbwX.html
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