Epic Games CEO criticizes Apple and Google for 'playing dirty'.

The CEO of Epic Games called Apple and Google "gangster-style" businesses.

According to Neowin , in a fiery speech at the recent Y Combinator event, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney didn't hesitate to directly attack tech giants Apple and Google, calling them "gangster-style businesses." He accused both companies of reluctantly and maliciously complying with court rulings and being willing to pay fines to continue what he considered illegal practices if it yielded higher profits.

Epic Games CEO criticizes Apple and Google as 'gangsters'.

In his speech, Mr. Sweeney emphasized: "They are operated, in many ways, like mafia-style businesses that will do whatever they think will get them off the hook... If they think that the fines will be less than the lost revenue from an illegal act, they will continue that illegal act and pay the fines." According to the CEO, Apple and Google are no longer law-abiding companies.

Epic Games CEO describes Google and Apple as two "thuggish" and "dirty-playing" companies.

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT FROM THE GUARDIAN

These harsh comments are the latest development in a years-long legal and media battle between Fortnite developer Epic Games and Apple and Google. The conflict erupted in August 2020 when Epic Games attempted to implement its own payment system within Fortnite to circumvent the 15-30% commission fees that Apple and Google charged on their app stores, App Store and Google Play. This action led to Fortnite being removed from both platforms and triggered a series of costly antitrust lawsuits.

At the event, Mr. Sweeney pointed out what he considered "dirty tactics" or a superficial compliance with the law. Regarding Google (Android), he criticized the warnings that appear when users try to install apps from external sources. He stated that these warnings are a form of intimidation, discouraging 50-60% of users and causing them to abandon the installation, even in areas like the European Union (EU), where installing apps from third-party sources is permitted.

For Apple, although the company has been forced to allow third-party app stores to operate on iOS in the EU, Sweeney argues that regulations, technical barriers, and especially the expensive 'Core Technology Fee' have made this practically impossible for many developers.

Legally, the battle is far from over. Although Epic Games won a crucial victory against Google in a US court in December 2023, with a jury concluding that the Google Play Store operated as an illegal monopoly and the court subsequently ordering Google to allow alternative stores and payment systems, Google is still appealing the ruling. This further strengthens Sweeney's argument about the reluctance of tech giants to change.

Tim Sweeney's tough stance once again highlights the ongoing conflict between Epic Games and major mobile platform owners. This battle isn't simply about Fortnite or commission fees; it's about the future of software distribution, competition, and freedom of choice within increasingly closed technology ecosystems.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ceo-epic-games-chi-trich-apple-va-google-choi-ban-185250403161636643.htm