[jcstauffer]

I'm not sure how that's a benefit for users (multiple app stores).

What he wants is the right to build his own App Store so that he can charge his own "tax" and (hopefully) become a monopolist.

[doikor]

Well evidence shows that at least his stores tax is much smaller (12% on Epic store vs 30% on Steam). But he has been pretty clearly on the side of "everyone should be able to create whatever software they want on every platform" for a really long time. For example look at his rants against Windows Store and the potential path from it to locking down Windows iOS style (while very unlikely to ever happen is/was a possible path if the Windows Store got really popular)

[pjmlp]

On Windows 10X that is the only way to install software.

Windows 10X just didn't happen due the current situation having changed schedules to everyone.

[wayneftw]

> I'm not sure how that's a benefit for users (multiple app stores).

The same way multiple grocery stores benefit customers. It gives them a choice.

> What he wants is the right to build his own App Store so that he can charge his own "tax" and (hopefully) become a monopolist.

That makes no sense because once the door is open for multiple app stores, there's even less of a chance to become a monopolist. To become a monopolist Epic would have to build their own smartphone platform and get enough market share to effectively control the market, like Apple has done.

Also, when using the generic term it's app store, not App Store. Apple does not have a trademark on the generic term app store [0], they have only registered for that trademark and they will lose even that if challenged. Apple is so petty though that your iPhone automatically capitalizes it anyway.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_store#%22App_Store%22_trad...

[mattigames]

Its a huge benefit, with competition the "taxes" would compete and developers would try to favor those with lower taxes, plus Apple store and Play Store both forbid adult apps because they want to be "family friendly", if the user wants to install the pornhub app on their iPhone they should have an easy and straightforward way to do so.

[_coveredInBees]

How in the world do you not see competing app stores not providing value to consumers from a price competition perspective? It's not like every game on every platform on Windows is a platform exclusive. I've availed of exceptional prices on games strictly because of competition across platforms, especially when one decides to offer up a sale.

[falcolas]

Because on the PC, the oft-heralded perfect platform because there are multiple stores, there is no price competition? Epic giveaways aside (which is marketing, not competition), games go on sale on most platforms at the same time, for the same prices.

I, a customer, am not getting a price discount for a game on the EGS, despite the lower middleman cut.

[yawn]

I'm okay with that since others can compete with him. Right now nobody has a say except Apple.