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Tag: Fortnite

  • Epic CEO: Fortnite Is Returning to iOS in 2023

    Epic CEO: Fortnite Is Returning to iOS in 2023

    Fortnite fans may be in for a nice surprise, with Epic CEO Tim Sweeney saying the game may come back to iOS in 2023.

    Fortnite has been absent from the App Store since Epic and Apple’s legal squabbles. Epic decided to stop paying Apple’s App Store fees, resulting in Fortnite being banned from the App Store and sparking a legal fight between the two companies. After Apple largely won the legal battle, it appears Epic may finally be ready to make peace and try to get Fortnite back on Apple’s platform.

    Sweeney tweeted about the possibility on the last day of 2022:

  • Epic Games Fined $520 Million Over Child Privacy Laws & Dark Patterns

    Epic Games Fined $520 Million Over Child Privacy Laws & Dark Patterns

    Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, has been fined $520 million by the FTC for failing to comply with child privacy laws and employing “dark patterns.”

    According to the Federal Trade Commission, Epic violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting massive amounts of data without parental consent. What’s more, the company made it needlessly difficult for parents to request that any data regarding their children be deleted. Because the company licensed and marketed various Fortnite-inspired toys and merchandise, the company could not say it didn’t know that many of its users were children.

    In addition, the FTC accused Epic of using so-called “dark patters” to trick children into unintentional purchases. As a result, the company was fined $275 million for the COPPA violations, and will pay another $245 million in refunds for dark pattern purchases. The company is also required to change Fortnite’s default settings to better protect children’s privacy.

    “As our complaints note, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Protecting the public, and especially children, from online privacy invasions and dark patterns is a top priority for the Commission, and these enforcement actions make clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.”

    “The Justice Department takes very seriously its mission to protect consumers’ data privacy rights,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children’s personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated.”

  • Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic has received $2 billion from Sony and KIRKBI to help it invest in metaverse development, a major focus of game studios.

    The metaverse is becoming an increasingly important area for the tech industry, and especially game studios, as companies races to stake their claim. Epic is already the creator of one of the most immersive, traditional games on the market, Fortnite. Sony and KIRKBI, the company behind the LEGO brand, obviously believe Epic is in a good position to capitalize on the metaverse, with each company investing $1 billion in the game-maker.

    “As a creative entertainment company, we are thrilled to invest in Epic to deepen our relationship in the metaverse field, a space where creators and users share their time.” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “We are also confident that Epic’s expertise, including their powerful game engine, combined with Sony’s technologies, will accelerate our various efforts such as the development of new digital fan experiences in sports and our virtual production initiatives.”

    “Epic Games is known for building playful and creative experiences and empowering creators large and small,” said Søren Thorup Sørensen, CEO, KIRKBI. “A proportion of our investments is focused on trends we believe will impact the future world that we and our children will live in. This investment will accelerate our engagement in the world of digital play, and we are pleased to be investing in Epic Games to support their continued growth journey, with a long-term focus toward the future metaverse.”

    This latest investment brings Epic’s valuation to $31.5 billion, and should help position for the next evolution of immersive experiences.

  • Nvidia Bringing Fortnite Back to iOS and Android

    Nvidia Bringing Fortnite Back to iOS and Android

    Nvidia is doing what Epic can’t, bringing Fortnite back to iOS and Android via its GeForce NOW gaming platform.

    Fortnite has been absent the Apple App Store and Google Play Store since Epic’s legal spat with both companies. Nvidia plans to change that, thanks to its GeForce NOW gaming platform. The company is bringing Fortnite back to both platforms, via Safari on iOS and the GeForce NOW app on Android.

    Beginning today, GeForce NOW members can sign up for a chance to join the Fortnite limited-time closed beta for mobile devices. Not an existing member? No worries. Register for a GeForce NOW membership and sign up to become eligible for the closed beta once the experience starts rolling out next week. Upgrade to a Priority or RTX 3080 membership to receive priority access to gaming servers. A paid GeForce NOW membership is not required to participate.

    The announcement is welcome news to Fortnite fans.

  • Google Countersues Epic Games for Breach of Contract

    Google Countersues Epic Games for Breach of Contract

    Google has taken the fight to Epic Games, countersuing the company for breach of contract.

    Epic sued both Apple and Google, claiming the two companies were monopolies, given their control over their respective app stores. Apple largely won its case, with the judge ruling it was not a monopoly and that it acted within its rights to ban Fortnite when Epic breached its contract with Apple.

    In fact, the judge in the Apple case pointed out Epic’s hypocrisy in creating a crisis by breaching its contract, thereby escalating the situation, and then claiming it was suffering damage from that escalation. Judge Rodgers also ordered Epic to pay Apple fees for the months it was in breach of its developers agreement with Apple.

    At the same time, the judge did issue a permanent injunction preventing Apple from prohibiting developers from providing links to their own payment methods, methods that would be outside of Apple’s commission.

    No doubt bolstered by Judge Rodgers’ decision in that case, Google has now countersued Epic for providing a version of Fortnite via the Play Store that links to Epic’s outside payment processing, thereby bypassing Google’s fees. According to ZDNet, Google has made it clear it has no problem with Epic providing their own payment system — as long as it is done on a side-loaded version of Fortnite, one outside the Play Store.

    “Epic has alternatively been unjustly enriched at Google’s expense,” reads Google’s complaint, according to ZDNet.

    “Consumers and developers don’t have to use Google Play, they choose to use it when given a choice among Android app stores and distribution channels. Google supports that choice through Android itself, Google Play’s policies, and Google’s agreements with developers and device manufacturers.”

  • Apple v Epic: Apple Scores a Victory (Mostly)

    Apple v Epic: Apple Scores a Victory (Mostly)

    Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ruled in the landmark case between Apple and Epic, and largely ruled in Apple’s favor.

    Epic, the maker of Fortnite, sued Apple over its App Store policies and sought a number of changes to Apple’s business model. The gamemaker objected to the commission Apple charges, being forced to use the App Store, not being able to use its own payment system — pretty much the entire app ecosystem Apple created and it benefited from.

    While there was some merit to Epic’s complaints, the company took a disingenuous approach to making its case. Ut intentionally broke the terms of Apple’s developer rules, waited for Apple to kick Fortnite off the App Store and then sued Apple. The judge threw out Epic’s initial injunction request, saying the company couldn’t request relief from a situation it created itself. In contrast, had the company sued Apple while abiding by its developer agreement, it would have been entitled to damages.

    As it turns out, however, Epic scored only a minor victory, with Apple clearly coming out on top. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple must allow developers to point their users to their own payment systems, effectively allowing them to bypass Apple’s commission. Judge Rogers did not, however, force Apple to allow alternate app stores, nor did she reduce the commission Apple charges.

    Judge Rogers also awarded Apple damages “equal to 30% of the $12,167,719 in revenue Epic Games collected from users in the Fortnite app on iOS through Epic Direct Payment between August and October 2020, plus 30% of any such revenue Epic Games collected from November 1, 2020 through the date of judgment.”

    Judge Rogers, while agreeing that Apple’s attempts to force developers to use its own payment system were anti-competitive, shot down Epic’s claims that Apple was a monopoly.

    Given the trial record, the Court cannot ultimately conclude that Apple is a monopolist under either federal or state antitrust laws. While the Court finds that Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55% and extraordinarily high profit margins, these factors alone do not show antitrust conduct. Success is not illegal. The final trial record did not include evidence of other critical factors, such as barriers to entry and conduct decreasing output or decreasing innovation in the relevant market. The Court does not find that it is impossible; only that Epic Games failed in its burden to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist.

    The ruling is largely a big win for Apple. Even Rogers’ decision regarding allowing developers to direct users to their own payments systems is relatively similar to Apple’s decision to allow ‘reader’ apps to do the same thing.

  • Wedbush: Epic’s ‘Risky Path’ Unlikely to Prevail Against Apple

    Wedbush: Epic’s ‘Risky Path’ Unlikely to Prevail Against Apple

    Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has weighed in on the Apple vs Epic court case, and he believes Apple will come out on top.

    Epic has launched a serious legal challenge to how Apple’s App Store ecosystem works. Last year, the company circumvented Apple and Google’s in-app payment systems, resulting in Fortnite being removed from both companies’ app stores.

    Epic launched a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the company was harming it by removing Fortnite. A judge refused the company an injunction, saying Epic couldn’t cry foul when it caused the problem by breaking its developer agreements with Apple and Google. In contrast, if the company had an issue with the terms of doing business on the app stores, it could have filed a lawsuit and collected back damages if it won. Instead, it engaged in a PR stunt to make its point.

    The trial between Apple and Epic started today, but analysts aren’t convinced the game-maker will win. According to AppleInsider, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives believes Apple will prevail. This is not the first time Apple’s App Store policies have come under fire. Apple has always prevailed and Ives believes this will be “no different.” He also said Epic’s approach was a “risky and calculated path,” whereas Apple’s approach is “fortress-like despite the Epic noise.”

    The outcome of the trial will have profound impacts on both Apple and Google, as well as multiple app store economies.

  • Arizona House Passes Legislation Targeting App Store Payments

    Arizona House Passes Legislation Targeting App Store Payments

    Just weeks after North Dakota failed, the Arizona House has passed legislation to force Apple and Google to allow third-party payments options.

    Apple and Google have both come under fire for requiring in-app payments be routed through their app stores. The issue came to a head when Epic, the maker of Fortnite, sued both companies. North Dakota recently tried to pass a bill that would force both companies to allow third-party options, but the bill failed to gain enough support.

    In contrast, Arizona’s bill has already passed the House of Representatives with a 31-29 vote, and is set to go to the Senate. In particular, the bill would forbid Apple or Google from requiring a developer based in Arizona “to use a particular in-application payment system as the exclusive mode of accepting payments.” The bill would also prohibit the companies from requiring “exclusive use of a particular in-application payment system as the exclusive mode of accepting payments from Arizona users.”

    It remains to be seen if the bill will pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Ducey. If it does, however, it will likely serve as a template for other states. Arizona may also suddenly find itself the destination of choice for app development companies looking to relocate.

  • UK Court Blocks Epic’s Case Against Apple

    UK Court Blocks Epic’s Case Against Apple

    The UK antitrust tribunal has blocked Epic from pursuing its case against Apple — over how the App Store and in-app payments work — in the UK.

    Epic sparked a confrontation with Apple and Google when it tried bypassing both companies’ in-app purchasing rules and the two removed Fortnite from their app stores. Epic filed lawsuits, first against Apple, claiming Apple harmed its business by banning Fortnite from the App Store.

    In her initial ruling, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers pointed out that Epic can’t argue it was harmed by Apple’s actions when it was Epic that started the problem by breaking its agreement with Apple and then crying foul. The company could have challenged Apple in court, and then collected back damages if it prevailed. By breaking its agreement first, Epic looks to have intentionally created a fake crisis specifically to take advantage of the situation.

    It appears UK courts want no part of the dispute, ruling that Epic will not be able to pursue its case in the UK, according to Reuters. The UK tribunal did not exclude Epic’s against Google, but believes the US is the best jurisdiction to handle the Apple case.

    The ruling is the latest victory in challenges against Apple and Google’s app stores, after the North Dakota legislature voted against a bill that would have required the companies to support third-party app stores and payment systems.

  • Verizon and Unity Partner On 5G, MEC and Digital Experiences

    Verizon and Unity Partner On 5G, MEC and Digital Experiences

    Verizon has announced it is partnering with Unity to help drive 5G-powered digital experiences and mobile edge computing (MEC).

    5G is the next generation of wireless technology that promises revolutionary speeds, opening up a whole new world of digital possibilities. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), gaming, autonomous driving and much more all benefit from the speeds 5G can provide. Edge computing and MEC is another area where 5G can make a big difference, allowing data to be processed faster at or near the point of collection.

    Verizon has been investing heavily in its 5G network. Until recently, it had primarily focused on the fastest variety of 5G, the high-band mmWave, which Verizon calls Ultra Wideband. The company has also spent big at the FCC auction for coveted mid-band spectrum, often considered the sweet spot for 5G, offering a good combination of speed and coverage.

    Unity, on the other hand, is the maker of the popular Unity game engine, as well as the creator of the popular Fortnite game. Unity’s engine is also one of the leading VR platforms. This portfolio makes Unity a natural choice for Verizon to partner with to provide 5G content.

    “We are entering an era of technology-led disruption where 5G and MEC will not only transform the full enterprise lifecycle, it will change the way consumers experience gaming and entertainment,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “Every business is accelerating the shift to digital for their employees, supply chain or end-customer experience. So whether you’re an enterprise reimaging how you do business using predictive real time insights, computer vision, machine learning and artificial intelligence, or a mobile gamer who simply wants to download the hottest new game in seconds and enjoy data intensive, multiplayer games conventionally reserved for consoles, the future is happening right now.”

    “We know the world is demanding high-speed, AAA content, whether it’s an educational augmented reality application or a robot running a simulation of a digital twin,” said Ryan Peterson, VP, Solutions, at Unity. “5G is the key piece for us to facilitate these real-time 3D experiences broadly and to better meet the demands of the real-time economy.”

    This partnership further illustrates the emphasis wireless companies are placing on providing content that aligns with their core business. In October, T-Mobile announced TVision, its foray into streaming TV. Similarly, AT&T has its own streaming service. In an industry known for its churn — where customers switch from one company to another — providing high-quality digital experiences may play a big role in increasing brand loyalty.

     

    Image Credit: Unity & Verizon

  • Fortnite Coming Back to iPhones and iPads…Sort Of

    Fortnite Coming Back to iPhones and iPads…Sort Of

    Apple and Epic may be fighting it out in court, but it appears a path has been cleared for Fortnite to return to iOS devices.

    The BBC has discovered the popular game will make its way back to iOS devices via a version of Nvidia’s GeForce, a cloud gaming service that will run in the iOS version of Safari. Because the service will be browser-based, and not installed via the App Store, Apple will not be able to charge its usual fee.

    Finding a way to get Fortnite back on iOS devices is likely a big priority for Epic. As the BBC points out, 116 million Fortnite players played on iOS. Even worse for the company, 76 million of those players only played on iOS.

    The company had previously tried to get the court to grant an injunction preventing Apple from removing Fortnite from the App Store. A judge sided with Apple however, and pointed out the hypocrisy of Epic’s argument.

    The judge made the point that Epic cannot claim Apple is hurting its business by removing Fortnite from the App Store, when it was Epic’s decision to break the App Store rules that caused harm to itself. Had Epic continued paying the App Store fees while challenging Apple in court, the company would have been reimbursed those fees if it won its case, essentially costing it nothing to continue with the status quo while the courts decided. Instead, Epic chose the more drastic route of breaking the App Store’s rules and forcing Apple’s response.

    The end result has been up to 76 million users potentially cut off from their favorite game, and Epic cut off from a substantial source of income. As a result, Nvidia’s solution will likely be a welcome option for company and customers alike.

  • Apple App Store Creates 300,000 Jobs During Pandemic

    Apple App Store Creates 300,000 Jobs During Pandemic

    Apple has released figures about the iOS App Store and revealed it has created 300,000 new jobs since the coronavirus pandemic began.

    Apple has been under fire for how it operates and manages its App Store. In particular, it is locked in a legal battle with Fortnite maker Epic over the fees it charges. It’s little wonder that Apple is eager to prove the App’s Store’s value.

    “The iOS app economy has created nearly 300,000 new jobs since April 2019, helping to provide opportunities for Americans of all ages even as COVID-19 continues to create immense challenges and uncertainty for communities across the country,” reads Apple’s blog post. “Developers nationwide — including companies such as Caribu, H‑E‑B, and Shine — have adapted their businesses to make sure they can keep supporting their customers during a challenging time.

    “Since the App Store launched in 2008, the iOS app economy has become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. Despite the pandemic, the App Store continues to provide economic opportunities for entrepreneurs of all sizes, helping anyone with an idea reach customers around the world and take advantage of new opportunities that would never be possible without it. The App Store ecosystem now supports more than 2.1 million US jobs across all 50 states — an increase of 15 percent since last year — as part of the 2.7 million jobs Apple supports across the country.“

  • Apple and Epic Both Gain Early Victories in Court Case

    Apple and Epic Both Gain Early Victories in Court Case

    A judge has rendered a split decision in the Apple/Epic court case, handing both sides an early victory.

    Things came to a head when Epic tried to bypass Google and Apple’s in-app purchasing rules and both companies responded by removing Fortnite from their app stores. It seemed evident that Epic had pushed the issue in an effort to get banned from the app stores and orchestrate a showdown in court. Apple responded by threatening to shut down Epic’s developer accounts, which would effectively eliminate its ability to distribute its Unreal Engine to other developers.

    Epic has been trying to get a temporary injection that would force Apple to reinstate Fornite and prevent it from terminating the developer accounts. In her initial ruling, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers refused to reinstate Fornite, saying the company chose to break its agreements with Apple, instead of abiding by them while challenging Apple in court.

    It was this action that led many to believe Epic intentionally orchestrated the ban, since the company stood to lose nothing by leaving the status quo intact while pursuing legal action. Had Epic won, any judge would have retroactively awarded damages. Instead of waiting for that, however, Epic chose a course of action it knew would lead to a ban. That action did not seem to sit well with Judge Rogers.

    “In my view you cannot have irreparable harm when you create a harm yourself,” she said in her ruling Monday, according to Courthouse News Service.

    At the same time, however, she did grant a temporary injection against Apple removing Epic’s developer accounts. As Rogers pointed out, while Epic may have breached its contract with Apple in regard to Fortnite, it has not done so in regard to its Unreal Engine. As a result, it’s not fair to punish third-party developers by cutting off their access to one of the most popular gaming engines available.

    “Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate against each other, but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders,” she wrote.

    It remains to be seen how Judge Rogers will rule on the case as a whole, but nothing less than the future of Apple’s App Store is at stake.

  • ‘Ninja’ Tyler Blevins Could be First $10 Million a Year Fortnite Gamer

    ‘Ninja’ Tyler Blevins Could be First $10 Million a Year Fortnite Gamer

    The best Fortnite player in the world, ‘Ninja’ Tyler Blevins, says he currently makes more than $500,000 a month and may just become the world’s first $10 million a year gamer. Ninja has over 20 million subscribers to his YouTube channel and a reported 200,000+ paying subscribers watching Blevins livestream on Twitch.

    ‘Ninja’ Tyler Blevins, coming off appearances on Ellen and Jimmy Fallon, discussed his Fortnite success and wealth in an interview on CNN Business:

    Blevins Makes More than $500,000 a Month

    Losing tens of thousands of dollars sitting for this interview is a perfect assumption. With Fortnite alone I’ve streamed 3,400 hours this past year. That’s 142 days of gaming and streaming. On a good month I make more than $500,000 a month.

    When I started making more than $80,000 a year streaming and gaming was the deciding factor in leaving college and quitting my job at Noodles & Company. That was the deciding factor by my Mom. By no means was she going to let me quit my job or drop out of school.

    I say “drop out of school,” I don’t even like that because I always had every intention of going back. I actually did go back when I had an eye issue thing and my stream took a dive. After hitting $80,000 a year I said Mom, I’m doing this until I make less and then I will go back.

    Could be the First $10 Million a Year Gamer

    I definitely could be the first $10 million a year gamer. It’s rare that I meet people that don’t know what I’m doing. But if I had a dollar every time I was at an airport and someone asks what I’m doing. I say I’m going to a tournament. I answer it’s a video game tournament. They are amazed I make money playing video games. The gaming tournament explanation is simple. A bunch of people buy a team pass. That money goes into the prize pool winner take all.

    70 Percent of Revenue Comes from Twitch and YouTube

    Streaming is the hardest part for people to understand. How do you make money streaming? The answer is ad revenue. There are going to be ads in commercial breaks. Those advertising companies pay the network and it’s the same way with streaming. However many people see the ads, you get money there. Also, people can subscribe.

    I make most of my money from Twitch and YouTube. It’s constant, it’s consistent, it’s monthly. About 70 percent of my money comes from Twitch and YouTube together. And then like brand deals with Red Bull and others make up the rest. It’s really simple, it’s like subscribing to a magazine, Spotify, or anything like that. It’s the same thing.

    My favorite reference is a guy on the street playing the violin. He’s not expected to get any money, maybe a couple of bucks. If you enjoy it a lot sometimes people will throw in twenty’s and five’s. It’s the same thing with me, but I absolutely have a big violin case.