Epic no-go

Happy Wednesday! Fans of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender may be excited to know Netflix has confirmed seasons 2 and 3 are coming.

— Tim Rhyne, Derek Neville

MAIN QUEST: Epic and Apple feud continues

Epic's plans to launch its Epic Games Store on iOS in the EU have hit a roadblock as Apple terminated its developer account, citing Epic as "verifiably untrustworthy." The move affects the much-anticipated return of Fortnite to iOS. Epic announced an iOS store in Europe following Apple's commitment to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act, allowing sideloading and alternate marketplaces, and secured a developer account for their Epic Games Sweden subsidiary. Apple, however, accused Epic of breaching contractual obligations and acting in bad faith, referring to past disputes, including Epic's circumvention of App Store fees in 2020 which led to a court showdown between the two companies.

Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, contends that Apple's termination undermines competition and sets a precedent for developers critical of Apple's practices. The clash highlights the ongoing global regulatory challenges to Apple's App Store dominance and the contentious relationship between the tech giant and Epic Games. Apple's decision comes amid the implementation of the EU's new Digital Markets Act, which mandates greater openness for big tech platforms, including allowing third-party app stores on iOS in Europe. Despite the setback, Epic remains committed to challenging Apple's practices and fostering competition on iOS devices.

In response to Apple's move, Sweeney criticized Apple as suppressing competition and accused Apple of wanting assurances and silence. The termination jeopardizes Epic's plans for an iOS version of the Epic Games Store and the return of Fortnite to the platform, indicating that the legal disputes between the two companies are likely far from over.

Step Back: It seems likely that Apple and Epic will end up back in court, as Epic plans to continue “continue to fight to bring true competition and choice to iOS devices in Europe and around the world” according to a blog post from the company. They have made the European Commission aware of the termination of their account.

HUD

• 📱 Warner Bros. will shift focus away from AAA single-player games to core franchises, bringing some to live-service free-to-play and mobile. The goal is to develop consistent revenue where people spend money on games over time rather than being “one-and-done.” This decision comes following the commercial disappointment of January’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League right after Hogwarts Legacy was named the best-selling game of 2023.

• 🎥 Twitch CEO Dan Clancy shares plans for 2024. The focus is on mobile improvements, discovery, and collaboration tools. There was additional commitment towards creating a safe experience for streamers and their communities.

• 💸 Campcom announced “an investment in the people who support the future of the company.” They will issue a 28% increase in starting salary for new graduate hires, a one-time bonus to current employees, and plans to raise all salaries by over 5% on average by the end of the fiscal year.

MAJOR W

• 📈 The 2020 PlayStation exclusive Ghost of Tsushima is receiving a PC release on May 16th. The active-adventure game was Sucker Punch’s first release following its Infamous series and was one of Sony’s fastest-selling original games on PS4.

• 🎵 Creatures of Ava was one of our favorite new titles announced at today’s Xbox Partner Preview. We expect it to give cozy gamers an alternative to Palworld’s more violent combat mechanics.

F IN THE CHAT

• 🙄 Helldivers 2 CEO had to spend time refuting claims that Sony is purchasing Arrowhead. “This is fake... Unless I've missed something”

• 🤼 While Vince McMahon and Brock Lesnar were removed as playable characters from the upcoming WWE 2K24 game due to allegations made against them, it appears McMahon can still be found in one of the game modes which uses real footage and in-game recreations of iconic WWE moments. In some cases, he is blurred out, while in other instances he is not censored.

CAREER CORNER

• Backend Engineer - Epic Games Store — Epic Games (Cary, NC)

• Associate Licensing Manager — BANDAI NAMCO (Irvine, CA)

• Senior Director, Business Intelligence — Nintendo (Redmond, WA)

HIVE MIND

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