Okay, big news gets a big post. Sorry.
One problem I have with the rhetoric around this issue is this idea that it's bad vs. worse and that Epic are good guys compared to Apple. Apple sucks, but people are so blinded by that that they don't look at the big picture, which is that Epic is doing this because they want to become Apple, and an even worse version of them. Apple uses literal slave labor, but let Epic start making hardware and we'll see how they feel about the Uighurs. They're already 40% owned by Tencent after all!
The other argument appears to be that getting rid of the 30% cut is good no matter who's fighting for it. When I see this argument, I'm reminded of those liberals who are cozying up with The Lincoln Project. It DOES matter who's fighting for it, absolutely, because when you say this, you are indeed taking a side. You're taking Epic's side, because you are trusting the other multi billion dollar corporation to keep their word. Epic has shown no intention of following through on promises like that. They won't let indie devs on the EGS at all if they won't sign exclusivity contracts or otherwise don't think they'll take market share away from Steam (see: Assault Android Cactus, DARQ, Skatebird.) The lawsuit Epic filed may claim that they're looking for a new standard to apply to everyone, but again, if you think that's the truth then you actually are taking a side while acting like you're not. Epic's behavior has shown us they're only out for number one, and anyone worth their salt in even just following the news knows that lawsuits are rarely meant for actual legal battles - they're threats you hope to get settlements out of because the people you're suing admit you have a point and want you to shut up about it. Once Epic gets a settlement out of the deal, it all goes away, and suddenly the "good company" indies thought had their back instantly vanishes.
We here in this thread have been over, several times, how the 12% cut of the EGS is bullshit - for several reasons including lack of platform features compared to other platforms that take larger cuts and foreign transaction fees. Epic themselves have admitted it's unsustainable. Why should we expect any other store to follow suit? Why are we switching positions on this all of the sudden? Because the other team was, at one point, Apple (but is now a conglomerate of several tech companies?)
It's unbelievable how perfect the timing of this worked out for Epic. Because Apple were the first to respond, and because Epic anticipated that would happen, they were able to release that short as a live event in the game and focus the hate on Apple despite Google, Spotify, and other tech companies all following suit with Apple's position literally just hours later. This entire campaign is only working because Epic is able to frame it as Epic vs. Apple and not Epic vs. Basically Every Other Company That Sells Digital Services. Make no mistake, if Epic's gambit here pulls off even a moderate success, they're coming after Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo next. I wouldn't expect them to stay quiet on this for long.
This is just an extension of the already-existing EGS debate - to argue in favor of Epic here is to alleviate pain short-term only to utterly fuck yourself in the future. Epic is not doing this to break up monopolies, they are doing because they want to be the only monopoly for everything. If they really actually wanted developers to be chasing their own futures, they'd be supplying the tools for every dev to be making their own storefront that they'd all take 100% revenue shares from - but they all want it on the EGS, for both desktop and mobile.
Strategically, I think Epic may have fucked up here. It really all hinges on how much they can play this as a fight solely against Apple when the reality is that every digital distributor, in EVERY INDUSTRY, who isn't Epic doesn't want this to happen. This play ONLY works against Apple because they're already a negatively-perceived company in general (and rightfully so, don't get me wrong) and would immediately fall apart if they tried it against any of the console manufacturers. If the Big Three throw their hat in Apple's side, which they very well may, this whole thing instantly implodes. Fortnite will probably still survive even after the maximum cringe they exhibited today, but... who knows. I've seen crazier things happen.
Anyways, fuck Epic.
