Epic's Sweeney Envisions an Open Metaverse and Battles Platform Monopolies

Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, is a staunch advocate for open platforms and the open metaverse. He will be discussing these topics in a virtual talk at the upcoming GamesBeat Next 2024 event in San Francisco. Sweeney continues to pressure major platforms to offer more favorable terms to game developers, and he has taken significant steps to advance his vision, including reducing royalty rates for Unreal Engine 5 developers and engaging in legal battles against tech giants like Apple and Google.

Unlocking the Potential of the Metaverse and Empowering Developers

Forging a New Era of Gaming and Entertainment

Sweeney believes that the gaming industry is undergoing a generational change, with players gravitating towards larger, more social games that offer a more immersive and interconnected experience. He sees the metaverse as the future of gaming, where players can come together, chat, attend virtual events, and engage in a wide range of activities. Fortnite, Epic's flagship game, has been at the forefront of this trend, with its evolving narrative, original content, and partnerships with major brands and franchises.Sweeney emphasizes that the primary goal for this decade is to empower all developers to achieve their growth goals. To this end, Epic is working to unify the high-end features of Unreal Engine 5 with the user-friendly Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), creating a more accessible and scalable Unreal Engine 6. This will enable developers to build games that can be easily deployed across multiple platforms and app stores, fostering a more open and interconnected digital ecosystem.

Driving Interoperability and Economic Openness

Sweeney is actively participating in standards bodies like the Metaverse Standards Forum to define industry-wide standards for technical and economic interoperability. The aim is to create an open system where developers can easily build experiences that can be seamlessly integrated into Fortnite or other platforms, and where purchases and items can be used across different digital environments.Epic's partnership with Disney is a prime example of this vision. The two companies are collaborating to build a new Disney ecosystem that is fully connected to Fortnite, allowing for a seamless and unified experience for users. Sweeney sees this as the first step towards a future where all companies and creators can participate as peers in a truly open and interconnected digital landscape.

Challenging Platform Monopolies and Advocating for Developer Rights

Sweeney's vision for the open metaverse is closely tied to his ongoing battles against the perceived monopolistic practices of major platform owners, such as Apple and Google. He believes that the current app store models, with their restrictive policies and high fees, are stifling innovation and limiting the potential of the digital ecosystem.Through legal battles and regulatory advocacy, Sweeney is fighting to open up mobile platforms to greater competition, enabling developers to process payments and distribute their content without the interference and financial burden imposed by the dominant app store operators. He sees this as a crucial step in creating a more vibrant and equitable digital landscape, where developers can thrive and the metaverse can truly flourish.

Embracing the Spirit of Innovation and Empowerment

Sweeney's personal history and values have shaped his stance on platform openness and developer empowerment. He grew up programming on an Apple computer, inspired by Steve Wozniak's vision for the company, where users could freely explore and create without corporate restrictions. This ethos of unfettered innovation is what Sweeney seeks to recapture in the digital age, challenging the current gatekeepers and advocating for a future where developers and creators can truly flourish.Sweeney's unwavering commitment to this cause has led him to engage in high-profile legal battles and regulatory efforts, securing victories against the likes of Apple and Google. He sees these wins as important steps towards a more open and equitable digital ecosystem, where the metaverse can reach its full potential and empower developers and users alike.