Fortnite has just been denied access to the Play Store. The publisher of the video game, Epic Games, disagrees with the prices imposed by Google — which are considered excessive. It should be noted that on all transactions transiting via the online shop, the firm recovers 30% of the sums, 15% in rare cases. A rate that doesn't suit Tim Sweeney, Epic's boss.
To understand the origins of the conflict, we must go back to Summer of 2018. Fortnite launched its mobile version. To avoid the tax, the game offers an installer to get the application directly without going through the Store, and without paying any pennies to Google. This spin caused Google to react strongly: some time later, the American giant publicly revealed a security breach impacting the Epic Games installer. This allowed malware to penetrate phones.
An expensive, but useful store
Why don't all applications do this to avoid the 30% tax? Mainly because creating a stable, flawless software requires a lot of money. Only a few major brands have so far achieved this — such as Spotify or Netflix. It must be said that the Play Store offers a significant showcase as well as an almost unbeatable security. It's therefore difficult for smaller publishers to do without it. This didn't prevent Fortnite from making more than 15 million downloads within two months after its release on Android. Between August and the end of December 2018, Google's estimated revenue shortfall was $50 million — but nothing to make the firm shudder for the moment.
An engaged editor
To create a counterweight to Steam, in December 2018, the Epic Games Store was launched. The online platform only collects 12% on the revenues generated via its marketplace. A strong step forward — which forced Steam to align itself — at least for its most popular licenses. The arm wrestling is still in its infancy, but neither Google nor Epic Games seem ready to make any concessions at the moment. Who will give in first?
Epic Games has suddenly ceased adding new features to Fortnite, and has since stopped talking to its community. Is this a sign of burnout, a wave of company holidays, or even a new communication strategy? Let's decipher the strangest month in the history of Fortnite.
