Tim Sweeney, the outspoken CEO of Epic Games, has once again declared that Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store charge way too much. He said the “ridiculous 30% fees” era is nearing its end, and we’re starting to believe him.
In response to a tweet about the recent Epic vs. Google victory, his comments hint at a broader vision for a more equitable app landscape, free from the dominance of established giants like Apple and Google. Sweeney’s stance is fueled by Epic’s own Epic Games Store, which boasts a significantly lower 12% revenue share for developers. They also normally let developers keep 100% of their revenue for the first six months.
He argues that the current 30% standard, prevalent in both the App Store and Google Play Store, stifles innovation and funnels profits away from the creators who deserve them most. Being realistic, there is no reason Google or Apple should be charging so much. All they do is host the app, and they’re gaining a lot from doing that. Real game stores charge less, so we shouldn’t see mobile stores try to grab so much money from developers.
This isn’t the first time Sweeney has taken aim at these fees. He’s been a vocal critic of major app stores’ strategies, where developers are encouraged to prioritize platforms that offer limited competition and restrict user choice. He believes this system creates an unfair advantage for established players, hindering the growth of smaller studios and ultimately harming consumers.
He’s not alone; the courts decided he was right, and Google’s practices are illegal. I’ve put apps on Google myself and am also unhappy with how much they take away. Seeing a company speak up against it is good because even Elon Musk has said those fees are too high.
