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Epic Games is currently embroiled in a dual war with Apple and Google over the removal of Fortnite from their respective App Stores.
The unceremonious ban of Fortnite has led to Epic Games taking legal action against both of the companies. The two tech giants banned Fortnite in the aftermath of Epic Games introducing a system of Direct Payment, which would help players avoid the fees charged by Google and Apple Stores.
Fortnite CEO, Tim Sweeney, also spoke at length against the Fortnite ban as he advocated equal access to all platforms.
Want to know what items might feature in the shop tomorrow? Check out our predictions for tomorrow's Fortnite Item Shop
Tim Sweeney has been warning of a duopolistic market ruled by Apple and Google for quite a while now and has revealed the same during recent interviews.
Also Read: Spotify comes out in support of Epic Games in a war against Apple.
Tim Sweeney on Google, Fortnite and lack of parity
In an interview with The Washington Post this year, the creator of Fortnite, Tim Sweeney cited the example of Facebook and Google, who derive profit from 'causing harm to customers as well as their supportive ecosystems':
Facebook and Google have been leaders in this trend. They give you a service for free, and they make you pay for it in the form of currency that’s dearer than money … loss of privacy and loss of freedom.
Sweeney has been a staunch critic of platforms such as Apple and Google, and frequently advocates the need for more open platforms and cross-platform economies.
In an exclusive interview with Joseph Kim of GameWorks in July this year, Tim Sweeney further elaborated upon the issue:
These platforms (Apple and Google) should be truly open to competition, the problem here is that the revenue sharing is not determined by free market competition.
Going on to call the rates distorted, he states:
Google built Android as an open platform but then they built a type of maze of business dealings which make it kind of de facto closed....I've called it a fake open platform..they're all forced bundled together in one massive package, you have to take it or leave it.
He explains that such a practice not only locks down the Store but also prevents any third-party App Store from operating at the same parity.
In a direct attack on Google's aversion to open competition, he shares his views and says:
On Android, you have to go through this incredibly complicated series of screens to give it permission to finally download Fortnite.
Everytime we have an update, there's potentially more construction screens and if we try to open up the Epic Games store on Android, you have to go through a series of scary dialogues , each one of which is designed to scare the users off.
You can watch Tim Sweeney's entire interview on YouTube in the video below:
Tim Sweeney seems to have won over a section of the online community with his outspoken criticism of Apple and Google, as the feud rages on.
Also Read: Fortnite: Founder of Epic Games wages war against Google and Apple.
The Battle Bus is heading into Fortnite! Check out the final Fortnite item shop today!
