Matt

Fortnite v Apple antitrust issues: different in US and EU (also, can't really generalise here). US test: have consumers been harmed? EU test: is a business using its market position to benefit itself/distort market?

US approach often said to be antiquated in dealing with internet age. Not for EU tho. But maybe issues under both approaches for Apple here. If removed Fortnite, deprives consumers of discounts available elsewhere and pressures Epic to accept Apple's cut.

Timing also relevant. Apple has effectively dodged these issues for a while now, back to ebook investigation days. Google not so much, nor a few others. Now eye definitely on Apple and suddenly this happens.

This isn't the same as the "30% is too much" argument, though no doubt there's links to it. Maybe an investigation applies pressure and gets that reduced either through sanctions or a deal.

But be careful what you wish for, big games/software/tech companies, when asking the big regulators to get involved in big moving parts of how the industries work. The big worry is that 'break up Big Tech' activism (whatever that means) actually gains real traction.

Good grief. Epic have just commenced a California lawsuit against Apple citing and screenshotting developments from today in it. This is the wildest, most set up lawsuit I've ever seen.https://twitter.com/fortnitegame/status/1293994211621167105?s=21 …

So, obviously, Epic had the whole thing planned weeks if not longer, all good to go subject just to today's developments. [Imagine being the paralegal assigned the job of pasting the screenshot and then pressing send.]

Eyes on Microsoft next