Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

Imagine if Microsoft did this on PCs. a) prohibiting the installation of non-windows store software (sideloading) and b) insisting that all purchases done via apps give them a 30% cut. I think this is a ridiculous practice on the behalf of Apple.

I mean, couldn't we just replace Microsoft->Sony and PC->Playstation and the argument falls apart a bit?

> Imagine if Sony did this on Playstation. a) prohibiting the installation of non-PlayStation games and b) insisting that all purchases done via their store give them a 30% cut.

Many platforms are like this -- and many also have the majority marketshare. Is this a call to redefine what platforms can and cannot control?

FWIW, actually Sony doesn't demand a 30% cut of all revenue from any company that makes an app for their store. You can have subscriptions to non-Sony services, and Sony doesn't see a dime. Sony doesn't demand a cut of Netflix subscriptions, for example, despite having a Netflix app available for download. Similarly, it doesn't get a cut of Spotify revenue either.

For PlayStation you pay the Sony tax for the convenience of integrating with their payment services, not because they'll ban you for using anything else.

It's also a super different situation in general; for example, Sony actually often pays developers to develop for their store (e.g. PubFund [1]), and does free marketing campaigns for them. Console makers live and die by their access to a pipeline of new exclusive games, so they treat game developers well; Apple doesn't, so it squeezes app developers for what it can. Hence why game developers are suing Apple but not Sony.

1: https://www.giantbomb.com/pub-fund/3015-7606/

> You can have subscriptions to non-Sony services, and Sony doesn't see a dime

Hmmm -- not to stretch the analogy too thin, but is this similar to Apple though, where they allow you to sign in to subscription services (e.g. Netflix) with your existing account to the service, but don't allow sign ups (which would trigger payment processing)? Or is payment processing baked in there as well?

> For PlayStation you pay the Sony tax for the convenience of integrating with their payment services, not because they'll ban you for using anything else.

To clarify, has any developer integrated external payment services within a Playstation game / app / etc? From all the games and apps I've played with, I never remember any other payment system built in other than Sony's.

> It's also a super different situation in general; for example, Sony actually often pays developers to develop for their store ...

Blackberry did the same thing near the end of it's life -- I was at a hackathon where they were giving away Blackberries and cash to anyone who developed a Blackberry app -- but does not giving back really reflect as monopolistic?

My information is about 6 years old, but I am pretty sure both Xbox and PS4 disallowed external payment services.

Which is why I found Microsoft's bitching about the app store hilarious. They have been taking giant pieces of the action in Xbox for 20 years and tried to do the same in their sorry excuse for a Windows Store. I'd like to see them allow Stadia on the Xbox.

I actually agree with not allowing external payment processors on these (and mobile) platforms, especially for games where the audience is frequently naive kids.

Don't agree with the platform taking a huge cut of every transaction though. Maybe take a smaller cut and the billionaires can stop squabbling.

> I actually agree with not allowing external payment processors on these (and mobile) platforms, especially for games where the audience is frequently naive kids.

I'm assuming you would also want to prohibit these "naive kids" from ever browsing the Internet too, am I right?

(Since there are plenty of website that accept payments through a variety of payment processors?)

How about instead, say, a site like Amazon letting 3rd party vendors hook in their own payment systems ?

would you really be in favor of that and see that as a good thing for the general public ?