The Aftermath of the Epic vs. Apple Ruling: A New Era for Game Monetization

The recent Epic vs. Apple ruling has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, paving the way for a new era in game monetization. According to Berkley Egenes, chief marketing and growth officer at Xsolla, this ruling has been a long time coming and is expected to have a lasting impact on the industry. The ruling, which prohibits Apple from discouraging links to third-party storefronts, has already led to a ripple effect worldwide, with other regions taking notice and exploring similar options. Egenes notes that the Digital Markets Act in Europe is currently at odds with Apple over payments that circumvent its ecosystem, and that South America and Korea are also watching the situation closely. For Xsolla, a company that specializes in helping developers and publishers set up monetization options, this sea change presents a significant opportunity. With Apple's 15-30% commission no longer a factor in the US, developers and publishers can now build webshops that suit their products, and Xsolla's 5% transaction fee makes it an attractive option. One notable example is the popular card-battling game Marvel Snap, which has already seen success with its new webshop. Egenes expects traditional in-app purchases to remain part of the mobile gaming experience but believes that the opportunity for developers lies in getting creative with how monetization links are presented to players. Xsolla sees its role as consultants and educators, helping developers experiment with the best approach to building out their store offerings. The company has launched over 500 webshops and shares best practices with developers, while also emphasizing the importance of following the terms of service. The Epic vs. Apple verdict has also generated discussion around Valve's 20-30% cut on PC games via Steam, with some developers suggesting that the bar could be lowered to permit smaller teams to succeed more easily on the platform. Egenes believes that some evolution in how PC keys are distributed is likely, but expects Valve to make modifications rather than big changes. Ultimately, Egenes advises developers to focus on launching their games on major platforms like Steam, while also exploring other monetization strategies and owning the direct-to-consumer experience.