Valve was required to deliver four-year sales data for more than 400 games available on Steam as part of Epic Games vs. Apple process.
Apple had already asked Valve for six years of its sale data, any discounts and when they became available on Steam. They claim this information “It is crucial to calculate the total size of the Epic available digital market distribution channels, which this Court has already considered highly relevant to this case. ”
Valve rejected this request, as it did not maintain such records, 99% of the more than 30,000 games on third-party Steam (including confidential data), and would require many hours of work to compile without compensation. Valve also stated that it did not compete in the mobile gaming space, making comparisons with the Epic Games Store and the App Store irrelevant to the case.
Apple has reduced its order to 436 games that are available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. These data would still have included (as of 2015) all sales, price changes, gross revenues and all revenues related to each version of these games and all content or digital items. Valve also rejected this, saying that Apple had failed to produce the evidence it needed for its case.
Law360 now reports (via GamesIndustry.biz) that California magistrate Thomas S. Hixson’s judge ordered Valve to present the documents; but reduced to the previous four years instead of six. He offered Valve a little comfort with the comment “Apple salted the earth with subpoenas, so don’t worry, it’s not just you.”
As we reported earlier, Epic Games announced that the price of V-Bucks, ForniteThe in-game currency, which can be purchased for real money, would be permanently 20% cheaper on all platforms. However, on Android and iOS, a new payment method has been introduced.
Instead of buying the V-Bucks through Google Play and the App Store, respectively, Epic Games launched “direct payment from Epic”. “When you choose to use direct payments from Epic,” the ad explains, “You save up to 20% as Epic passes the savings on payment processing to you.”
This is because Apple and Google charged a 30% fee for all V-Bucks purchased on their respective platforms. Thus, the 20% drop does not apply to purchases made through them. Epic Games claims that “If Apple or Google reduces their payment fees in the future, Epic will pass the savings on to you.”
Shortly after this announcement, Apple and Google removed Fifteen days App Store and Google Play Stores, respectively, due to breach of Epic Games terms of service.
Epic Games filed a lawsuit against both, citing that they had a monopoly on their stores on iOS and Android. Apple allegedly threatened to close all Epic Games App Store developer accounts and hack iOS and Mac development tools.
Epic Games may have expected action from Apple, however, having done a parody of Apple’s own commercial in 1984; appealing to your fans to support them. In addition, the #FreeFortnite Cup was announced.
Apple later accused Sweeney of asking for an exception to the App Store terms and conditions. Sweeney tweeted that Apple’s statement was misleading and presented images of the alleged e-mails. Microsoft also submitted a statement of support, favoring Epic Games.
In late August, Apple closed Epic Games’ App Store developer account. This means that Epic Games will no longer be able to send new applications or updates to existing ones (such as Infinity Blade games).
Epic would successfully win a restraining order that month, denying that Apple removed games based on the Unreal Engine from the App Store (thus hurting developers who used the engine in their games). Epic Games later filed an injunction asking that Apple be banned from “taking any adverse action against Epic. “
In early September this year, Apple filed a counter-action against Epic Games. In it, they asked for damages and damages, claiming that Epic Games’ actions were “Little more than theft”. Both parties would later agree to a trial by a judge, rather than a jury. This trial is scheduled for May 3, 2021.
Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers issued an injunction in October. Apple didn’t have to reinstate Fifteen days on the App Store, but they had a restraining order preventing them from revoking the “Epic affiliates;”Like those who use the Unreal Engine for their game.
Judge Gonzales Rogers subsequently dismissed two of Apple’s allegations at a November 10 hearing, including the claim that Epic Games committed theft. She told Apple lawyer Anna Casey “You cannot just say that it is independently wrong. You really have to have facts. “
Sweeney recently drew attention for comparing the Epic Games vs. Apple with the civil rights movement. Epic Games also hired a lobbyist to propose a bill in North Dakota that would allow alternative payment methods on the App Store and Google Play.
Image: Ace Attorney Fandom Wiki, Wikipedia [1, 2, 3]