Support NeoGAF

[Eddie-Griffin]

https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/03/23/epic-ceo-fears-apples-influence-over-the-metaverse

Epic CEO fears Apple's influence over the metaverse​

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney believes Apple is a major "roadblock in the way of Epic's vision for a metaverse."

On Thursday, Epic Games discussed its plans for the metaverse at the Game Developers Conference 2023. The company believes the metaverse should be open and that "it can't be another walled garden."
The "walled garden" statement is a direct jab at Apple. Sweeney has routinely expressed this sentiment during Epic's long battle against Apple's App Store policies.

In an interview with GameIndustry, Sweeney expanded on his concerns.

"[Apple will] either try to crush the metaverse, or extract all the profit from it. One or the other. Apple doesn't let you use a competing browser engine. So they can do the same thing with the metaverse, so [they] can say, 'you must use Apple's limited metaverse engine, you can't build your own, you can't use Unreal."
It's not clear why Sweeney believes that the Unreal Engine won't be allowed on any AR or VR implementation by Apple. It is used in iPhone and Mac development now, and it seems unlikely that it will be disallowed going forward.
"If we just build this thing in an open environment then companies can live on their merits," Sweeney added. "We very much like that because we have a history of winning on the merits when given the chance and we're terribly frustrated at markets like iOS where you just can't make an Epic Games Store for iOS because Apple says 'You can't compete with us'!"
He says that he believes robust antitrust laws are the only way forward and that Epic would lead the charge against Apple's influence on the market.
"We see them as utterly dominating this business if they're allowed to use their market power and hardware to do so. So we're fighting that. The other challenges I think can all be overcome."
Sweeney has spoken out against Apple for some time now, but his feud escalated after Fortnite got removed from the App Store. It was removed after Epic violated their developer agreement by implementing a way that users could sidestep the 30% commission fee.
Apple's mixed reality headset is rumored to launch at WWDC 2023. The yet-unannounced headset is anticipated to be a wearable visor with mixed-reality software. It would be an at-home computer capable of transporting the user to different locations for work or play.

It's crazy how many people Apple got scared of a headset they never showed with just a few leaks. The headset trying to beat them by two months is supposed to show something tomorrow (IQIYI) and there are companies reacting to Apply trying to do poor implementation of their leaks without knowing how Apple will do it, or are moving to motion kinect-style controls.

To be fair, I think there may be SOME merit to Tim's concerns, at least the part about control., but maybe not the way he thinks. I believe there's a fair chance, if Samsungs execution is right, we will see the same duopoly and restrictions on mobile (and likely more since it's VR) in the VR space if both of these companies succeed where the others don't. Right now no one is saying anything because Samsung has yet to update yet on their 2023 headset, but when they do I bet many companies will be scrambling too just like Apple.

I am a bit disappointed seeing Tim use that silly metaverse fad word. Consumers only care about VR hubs if you call them VR, whoever is still giving people guidance to keep using that term is disconnected from the buyer base.

However, I disagree, as Zucker has already proven, you can have your proprietary headset with your own software even Sony has this with PSVR2, you can't download the Quest store on it to play Quest games, that doesn't make sense.

 

[ReBurn]

Is Tim Epic really mad about a company extracting profit from the metaverse when he's out there extracting it from 8 year olds?

 

[feynoob]

Apple is insane. They have rabid fanbase that will buy anything from them.
We are talking about a company who did this.

They are still selling that pro stand.
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MWUG2LL/A/pro-stand

 

[U n i o n 0015]

Apple is insane

Apple was always a price premium, but ever since Supple Chain Guru Tim Apple took over, their (lack of) product innovation and pure profit motive have kicked into overdrive.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Apple is insane. They have rabid fanbase that will buy anything from them.
We are talking about a company who did this.

They are still selling that pro stand.
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MWUG2LL/A/pro-stand

Well if you already has a stand, you wouldn't need it

But if you did not have a stand or wanted one, Apple gave you a feature rich one for $999.

it's perfectly fair, people just misunderstood the marketing and took it to the baseball field without reason. It was a choice, if you wanted or needed a stand, you could get one as a standalone without buying a new all-in-one monitor while keeping your old one, especially if it's a touch screen one you could carry, and instead just buy a fully featured Apple stand for a low $999.

When you consider what you're getting it's a decent deal for the option.

 

[Elder Legend]

Is Tim Epic really mad about a company extracting profit from the metaverse when he's out there extracting it from 8 year olds?

How is Epic extracting profit from 8 year Olds? Have you never heard of parental controls or responsible/irresponsible parents? It doesn't matter if kids love Fortnite or not.

Any kid who likes whatever X or Y on Z or P platform will ask his/her parents for money and it's up them to make the decision.

Stop blaming corporatins like Epic when it comes to expoiliting children.

The only company/game you can really blame for some stuff like that is Roblox, because that game is on a whole different level of predatory tactics.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Well, Apple fanbase is already in a metaverse in a way so...

 

[feynoob]

When you consider what you're getting it's a decent deal for the option.

Apple gave you a feature rich one for $999.

Its insane that a stand in cost that much. Its a litteral stand in. It does nothing other than holding your moniter.

This is just Apple swindling their fanbase, and people going along with them.

 

[diffusionx]

This guy is still mad he got BTFO in court vs. Apple a few years ago. He got completely destroyed.

 

[Esca]

Feature rich and decent deal lmao oh man

 

[PJX]

Well if you already has a stand, you wouldn't need it

But if you did not have a stand or wanted one, Apple gave you a feature rich one for $999.

it's perfectly fair, people just misunderstood the marketing and took it to the baseball field without reason. It was a choice, if you wanted or needed a stand, you could get one as a standalone without buying a new all-in-one monitor while keeping your old one, especially if it's a touch screen one you could carry, and instead just buy a fully featured Apple stand for a low $999.

When you consider what you're getting it's a decent deal for the option.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or serious. Very hard to tell on the internet nowadays.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or serious. Very hard to tell on the internet nowadays.

I though it was an easy joke since there's no features on that stand lol. I guess the center is magnetic, that may be a feature.

But not there's no features on that stand lol.

 

[Lasha]

This guy is still mad he got BTFO in court vs. Apple a few years ago. He got completely destroyed.

Destroyed is a bit of an overstatement. The original trial resulted in saying apple was engaging in anti-competitive practices but did constitute a monopoly. The latter part was appealed and litigation is ongoing. The case did lead to new European laws that will force the iPhone to allow other payment systems and app stores in the EU.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

Epic and Tim are not wrong to be wary of Apple and also MS, and Google. They are the platform holders.

Don’t think for a second, regardless of people’s personal opinion about Apple, that Tim still isn’t very upset about Fortnite and the iOS store.

Tim isn’t completely wrong. But his lack of being completely transparent, is annoying. I don’t see him out there defending the price he charges for companies to use the Unreal engine. The Epic game store policies also seem not quite as consumer friendly as Valves. Yet, he doesn’t talk about that.

As for Apple. They have done many things over the years that are anti consumer. Yet they still sell to everyone. Reminds me of old Disney of yesteryear.

I don’t believe in the Apple zealot theory. iPhone, AirPods, and iPad are the best selling tech products on the planet. It is just a fact. I usually suspect The majority of the people complaining about Apple can not afford the ecosystem, or are simply anti Apple to be contrarian. (Which is fine, but it is simply what I observe).

 

[ReBurn]

How is Epic extracting profit from 8 year Olds? Have you never heard of parental controls or responsible/irresponsible parents? It doesn't matter if kids love Fortnite or not.

Any kid who likes whatever X or Y on Z or P platform will ask his/her parents for money and it's up them to make the decision.

Stop blaming corporatins like Epic when it comes to expoiliting children.

The only company/game you can really blame for some stuff like that is Roblox, because that game is on a whole different level of predatory tactics.

Yes. I have heard of parental controls. And I also heard of Epic being sued by the government and being forced to pay a $275 million fine for specifically targeting children by violating their privacy rights and targeting them with dark patterns to trick them into making purchases they didn't know they were making. Plus another $245 million for knowingly tricking people in general.

Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges

The Federal Trade Commission has secured agreements requiring Epic Games, Inc., creator of the popular video game Fortnite, to pay a total of $520 million in relief over allegations the company vio

www.ftc.gov

Tim Epic lives in a glass house of unethical business practices. He should not be throwing stones.

 

[Comandr]

Yes. I have heard of parental controls. And I also heard of Epic being sued by the government and being forced to pay a $275 million fine for specifically targeting children by violating their privacy rights and targeting them with dark patterns to trick them into making purchases they didn't know they were making. Plus another $245 million for knowingly tricking people in general.

Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges

The Federal Trade Commission has secured agreements requiring Epic Games, Inc., creator of the popular video game Fortnite, to pay a total of $520 million in relief over allegations the company vio

www.ftc.gov

Tim Epic lives in a glass house of unethical business practices. He should not be throwing stones.

Edited for moar:

I mentioned in the state of unreal thread that his rambling about walled gardens really comes off shitty. A lot of talk about inclusion and sharing and being part of the experience and mean old apple is taking that away from so many people. Riiiight after the last presenter says that vbucks is making them "billions of dollars a year." Epic wanted Apple to allow Epic to open up a separate app store for Epic apps, hosted on Apple's servers, and Epic would be entitled 100% of the profit. Like.. what? Let's not kid ourselves here where Tim's interests lie.

 

[Chiggs]

I immensely dislike Tim Sweeney. It's incredible just how much more financially successful he is than John Carmack, but how nearly everyone prefers John Carmack as a human being and gaming icon.

 

[Kdad]

EPIC is backed by Tencent...make your own god damned phone.

 

[Grizzled Ghost]

"X Fears Y's influence Over the Metaverse" is one of the most ridiculous headlines I've ever seen.

It sounds like a throwaway line from Snow Crash or something.

I love it.

 

[PJX]

I though it was an easy joke since there's no features on that stand lol. I guess the center is magnetic, that may be a feature.

But not there's no features on that stand lol.

Hey man, just have to make sure nowadays.

 

[SmokedMeat]

So he’s really just upset that Apples not using Unreal engine. Tim wants a monopoly on game engines.