In a fiery critique, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has escalated his rhetoric against tech giants Apple and Google, labeling them “gangster-style businesses” engaged in illegal practices. Speaking at a Y Combinator event, Sweeney, whose company is behind the massively popular game Fortnite and the widely used Unreal Engine development tool, did not mince words about the perceived harms caused by the dominant mobile platform holders. His comments underscore the long-simmering tensions between developers and the companies controlling the primary gateways to mobile consumers. Sweeney's accusations center on the control Apple and Google exert over their respective app stores, particularly regarding payment processing and commission fees, which typically sit around 30%. He argues that these practices constitute anti-competitive behavior, effectively locking developers into using the platforms' proprietary systems and preventing fair market competition. This stance is consistent with Epic Games' ongoing legal battles against both companies, famously initiated after Fortnite was removed from the App Store and Google Play for attempting to bypass their payment systems. Sweeney emphasized that these actions directly impact his own business, suggesting they intimidate potential partners and stifle innovation across the industry. The core of the issue, from Sweeney's perspective, is the lack of genuine choice for developers and consumers within these ecosystems. He advocates for a more open platform model where developers can offer alternative payment solutions and potentially distribute their apps outside the confines of the official stores without penalty. The current structure, he implies, creates an uneven playing field heavily tilted in favor of the platform owners. Sweeney believes this dynamic harms not only large companies like Epic but also smaller developers who lack the resources to challenge the status quo or absorb the hefty commission fees. These strong remarks arrive amidst a global push for greater regulation of large technology companies. Governments and regulatory bodies worldwide are increasingly scrutinizing the market power held by firms like Apple and Google, exploring legislative measures such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in Europe, which aims to promote fairness and contestability in digital markets. Sweeney's call for competition aligns with these broader efforts, positioning Epic Games as a vocal proponent for systemic change in how digital goods and services are distributed and monetized. While Apple and Google typically defend their policies by citing the need for security, user privacy, and the value provided by their curated ecosystems and development tools, Sweeney dismisses these justifications as insufficient cover for what he views as monopolistic behavior. His description of their operations as “gangster-style” highlights the profound disagreement and lack of trust between Epic Games and the platform holders. The ongoing conflict represents more than just a dispute over fees; it's a fundamental battle over the future architecture of the internet and digital commerce, questioning who should hold the power in these critical marketplaces.
