Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is optimistic about the future following his company’s legal victory over Google in their antitrust lawsuit. The ruling, which sided with Epic, declared Google’s control over the Android app market and in-app payment systems as illegal. Sweeney expressed his satisfaction with the verdict, stating that it represents a significant win for “all developers” who have faced unfair restrictions from large tech companies.
In an interview with The Verge, Sweeny said he believes this decision marks a turning point in the tech industry and paves the way for a more open and competitive ecosystem. Sweeney stressed the importance of open app stores, stating that they provide greater choice and opportunity for developers to reach their audiences. He also criticized Google’s “self-preferencing” practices, which he believes disadvantage smaller companies and stifle innovation.
“Google and Apple both treat developers as adversaries — they try to attack our revenue streams and prevent us from competing with their products. They’ve built these massive self-preferencing schemes all around excluding developers and disadvantaging third-party developers. I think this is very shortsighted. I think any tech company — Apple, Google included — would be much better off in the long term if they viewed developers as awesome partners and did everything they could to support them and empower them and not get in their way financially.”
Tim Sweeney
Beyond the immediate impact on the Android app market, Sweeney believes this victory has broader implications for the tech industry. He sees it as a sign that regulators are increasingly willing to hold large tech companies accountable for their anti-competitive behavior. This could lead to greater scrutiny of other tech giants, potentially forcing them to change their business practices in ways that benefit consumers and developers.
I would love this kind of future, too, but we may have to get the bigger companies there kicking and screaming. As for Google and Apple, it seems pretty ridiculous that they’d ask for 30% just for hosting apps, and they may appeal their loss, so it seems like they aren’t on the same page as Epic. However, he did say Microsoft was better for developers than Apple or Google.
Looking ahead, Sweeney remains optimistic about the future of Epic Games. He sees the company playing a key role in shaping the future of the open internet and ensuring a more level playing field for all developers. He also expressed his commitment to fighting for fair competition and protecting the rights of developers to reach their audiences without unreasonable restrictions.
Although Google plans will likely appeal the verdict, Sweeney remains confident that the ruling will ultimately stand. He believes the evidence presented at the trial clearly demonstrated Google’s anti-competitive practices, and he expects the appeals court to reach the same conclusion.
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