Tim Sweeney’s Decades-Long Battle Against Apple and Google

We’ve not heard substantial updates regarding the feud between Epic Games and tech giants Apple and Google concerning their app stores for some time. Primarily, Epic Games is objecting to the 30% store fees which developers are expected to pay to host games on these mobile platforms.

The conflict has yielded mixed outcomes for Epic. In Europe, there have been some advancements, albeit not as many as Epic or its users would prefer. Five years after being blocked on iOS, Epic’s battle royale, Fortnite, is now available for download through the Epic Games Store app. However, Apple has imposed additional obstacles for users attempting to download the game this way, with “scare screens” that reportedly deter up to half of the potential players.

In the US, Fortnite remains inaccessible on iOS devices due to differing legal framework across regions, and it’s unclear when this might change.

Yet, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney remains undeterred. According to an IGN report, Epic Games has invested billions in their stand against Apple and Google. In terms of how long Epic can sustain this, Sweeney admitted to potential severe financial difficulties “after a couple more decades of this”. He asserted Epic’s resolve to persevere with the fight and anticipates that most of the battle will last at least “throughout the rest of this decade”.

To those puzzling over why Epic Games and Sweeney would channel such vast resources into this pursuit, Sweeney clarified that it’s “an investment in Epic’s future, and they foresee a significantly improved Fortnite business outlook if market openness and competition are ensured”. He also reasserted his long-standing argument that such a change would benefit “all developers”.