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Businesses Japan Apple

Apple App Store Draws New Scrutiny in Japan, Epicenter of Gaming (bloomberg.com) 34

Posted by msmash from the tussle-continues dept.
Epic Games's decision to sue Apple over its mobile store practices has sparked new scrutiny in the massive Japanese gaming market, prompting complaints and questions about how to counter the tech giant's dominance. From a report: While Epic, publisher of the hit title Fortnite, focuses on the 30% revenue cut app stores typically take, Japanese game studios have broader concerns. They have long been unhappy with what they see as Apple's inconsistent enforcement of its own App Store guidelines, unpredictable content decisions and lapses in communication, according to more than a dozen people involved in the matter. Japan's antitrust regulator said it will step up attention to the iPhone maker's practices in the wake of the high-stakes legal clash. And in rare cases, prominent executives are beginning to speak out after staying silent out of fear of reprisal. "I want from the bottom of my heart Epic to win," Hironao Kunimitsu, founder and chairman of Tokyo-based mobile game maker Gumi, wrote on his Facebook page.
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Apple App Store Draws New Scrutiny in Japan, Epicenter of Gaming More

Apple App Store Draws New Scrutiny in Japan, Epicenter of Gaming

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  • You mean there's a lot of gaming happens deep underground below Japan?

  • Epicenter? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Areyoukiddingme ( 1289470 ) on Friday September 04, 2020 @12:04PM (#60473418)

    Overstating it a bit. Maybe by players as a percentage of population, though that's touch and go with the United States. But Japan is only third [newzoo.com] in the world by gaming revenue. Just saying.

    • Trying to calculate the pourcentage of gamers in a population using gaming revenues is like trying to calculate Apple's marketshare using their profits. It makes no sense.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Couldn't find stats on revenue per player but I bet it's high in Japan.

      Japan is rather unique for games. Far more willing to try out new ideas and new hardware than other regions where consumers tend to baulk at spending their money on such things. They also prefer different styles of games, some almost completely unknown in the West (e.g. mahjong) and some simply much more popular there (RPGs and dating sims).

      They also don't really like the XBOX for some reason, probably lack of Japanese developers.

      • "They also don't really like the XBOX for some reason, probably lack of Japanese developers"

        It's always been difficult for a foreign company to get a good foothold in Japan. They are very nationalistic when it comes to consumer products.

  • STANDARD WALLED GARDEN (prison) REPLY FORM
    Rev. 1

    I see you are complaining about

    [X] Apple [] M$ [] other:_____

    You

    [X] bought the device
    [X] invested in development tools and infastructure
    [X] made a large investement in (company's) products for your business/org/school/family

    Knowingly or not

    [X] That the above selected company is lord of the realm
    [X] you should know by now corporations don't play fair
    [X] don't be surprised t

    • If the US or the EU says the walls come down, the walls come down.

      Even Japan is important enough to force third party stores and sideloading if they so desire. With a friendly US administration Apple might play chicken in the hope they ride to their rescue, but that doesn't currently seem to be the case.

      • The governments didn't have to do this if Apple didn't do what they did. But people voted with their wallets, saying "Hey Apple! I love being locked down! Please, sir, can I have some more!". And you can bet Apple to try their best to worm their way out of this one.

        I'm just wondering how much it will cost the tax payers of those countries to clean up this mess. On one hand, I am happy to see governments crack down on this kind of behavor. On the other hand, I feel that the users should be forced to suck it

  • While Japan is asking for money, I could use some more, too.
  • First they came for the solo player story line . . . I said nothing.

    Unfortunately Japan doesn't matter, and China really doesn't either.

    Publishers are high on the micro purchases and that currently matters more than anything else. A dollar was a sweet spot for casual gaming, but free-to-play/pay-to-win is what the masses want.

    I'm gonna go play some side-scrolling Metroid/Castlevania.

    • "free-to-play/pay-to-win is what the masses want"

        The masses don't always make the right choices, so that's why we have crap loot box infested games polluting app stores everywhere.

      Well, it is what it is. If customers want to get rooked by this crap, and parents can't be arsed to set the parental controls and end up getting shocked and shaken with a 700$ bill because little Brittany can't stop feeding a cartoon cat imaginary num-nums, it does not affect me any.

  • CERO rating is a requirement It costs $3000 just to get in and 1500$ each year Then a local bank account is required So what Japan is really trying to do here is tighten protective control against foreign games under disguise of fairness

  • Singling out Apple is silly when Epic Games continues to pay Sony & Microsoft 30% without complaint.

    Epic is a $17B company. They grew that big _because_ they were willing to share profits with Sony, Microsoft, and Apple.

    • Singling out Apple is silly when Epic Games continues to pay Sony & Microsoft 30% without complaint.

      Maybe they shouldn't. It's anti-competitive either way, but I think Apple has a bigger hold on mobile gaming than Sony and Microsoft have on traditional gaming. They share that space with Nintendo and PCs etc, whereas Apple only shares mobile gaming with Google. Apple probably has a greater percentage of users willing to pay money for content as well.

      The "fair" way to profit in this space is charge a fee for developer tools and maybe a nominal listing fee for apps on the store. Microsoft makes games for

    • Singling out Apple is silly when Epic Games continues to pay Sony & Microsoft 30% without complaint.

      First, in 2017, Epic openly broke Sony's rules by adding cross-play to Fortnite. (And this was when Fortnite wasn't the juggernaut it is today.) So Epic certainly has had complaints and pushed for changes that ultimately benefitted everyone.

      Second, you're ignoring the possibility that many developers feel Sony and Microsoft provide value for their cut, and feel that Apple does not. Throwing your app in the App Store is not really comparable putting a game in the PlayStation Store. You may disagree, but many

    • If *nix, Windows, Android and OSX can offer open development without a monopolized store front, why can't the consoles or ios?
  • I sincerely hope that Apple wins the 30% fight. A bunch of vagrants want to kick down the door to the walled garden so they can leave steaming piles of feces wherever they want, and they're angry that the door is strong and locked. Too frikkin bad. That door is a BIG reason why I use Apple.

    Consistent policy enforcement is a different matter, though I'm not sure it's something to be dealt with at the federal level. Isn't that something for civil courts?

    • "I sincerely hope that Apple wins the 30% fight. A bunch of vagrants want to kick down the door"

      Yes, the hundereds of fart apps are what I call quality programs

      "to the walled prison"

      Fixed that for ya

      "so they can leave steaming piles of feces wherever they want"

      Once upon a time, there was no such thing as "app stores" or "walled gardens". Somehow, not only did the computer industry NOT come crashing down, but there was a lot of innovation, both on the software and hardware side. Enough so, that it ma

      • You have a very selective memory. The unregulated internet was quite nice until it ramped up in popularity. Then, the tragedy of the commons struck fast and hard. It's one of humanity's greatest creations, but the place is quite a cesspool unless you're inside some sort of walled garden. CNN is a walled garden. Slashdot is a walled garden. Apple too. Any curated website qualifies....

        The idyllic wild-wild west that you're imagining is a romantic fantasy that only existed for a very short period of time.

        • "Why should Apple be the only one to be forced to give up control of it's little plot of land?"

          Um, I buy a device, I own it, I can do what I want with it. It is not "their little plot of land", it's a device that a user bought and paid for.

          I couldn't give two shits about Apple's little kingdom, but I expect to be able to still buy a device from someone now and in the future that does not have some remote asshole telling me what I can and cannot do with it.

          I'm tired of the whole "most people"

          • Also, we are talking about a device that somebody owns, not a website that somebody else owns. Try not to confuse the two.

            Apple can do what they want with their app store. The problem is when they tell the user what they can and cannot do with the device in their posession that they paid for.

  • Sony Nintendo
  • Epic is just trying to edge out the incumbent game stores. Steam is the big storefront for PC game distribution, so Epic Games comes along and starts offering a cheaper cut to devs and exclusivity deals for games that had already been announced for Steam. Then they go after the Apple storefront, with an anti-Apple promo video ready to go the moment Apple reacts. Epic is just another cutthroat business using whatever tactics it can to take a stake away from the existing storefronts. Also of no surprise is

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