This past week Epic Games launched a massive legal effort against tech giants Apple and Google over alleged monopolistic and anti-competitive efforts regarding their mobile device marketplaces. To do so, Epic orchestrated and executed a plan leading to Fortnite's removal from both the Apple App Store and the Google Play shop, then followed it up with a video mocking Apple's iconic 1984 commercial played within Fortnite. Since then, Epic has been accused of "weaponizing Fortnite fans," a claim Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has taken issue with.
Sweeney, who is a prolific Twitter user, brought attention to the topic. "IGN says Epic is 'Weaponizing Fortnite Fans,'" reads the first part of Sweeney's initial tweet, referring to an IGN article about Epic's Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite video played in-game. But, surprisingly, Sweeney doesn't refute the accusation. He does mock it, however. Sweeney says that all that Epic is arming these "weaponized" Fortnite players with is an idea. That idea being that "the maker of a smartphone does not have the right to dictate the terms of our lives and our businesses."
What Sweeney is saying is basically repeating Epic's rationalization for its lawsuit. The lives and livelihoods of app developers hinge on smart devices that funnel all app usage and purchases through Apple and Google-owned shops, where they take 30% of all sales. Epic sees this as illegal and so Sweeney believes it's right to "offer" Fortnite players its perspective regarding the entire situation.
From there, Sweeney's rhetoric takes off. "The tech monopolies would love nothing more than a battle of might, because they can muster a far larger fighting force. They do not fear our weapons. They do fear our ideas." At this point, the metaphor has gone well beyond its intention. If one thing's clear, it's that Sweeney is fully supportive of the idea that this is a "war" in its own way. Clearly, Sweeney is comfortable using whatever tools at hand, whether it be social media or Fortnite itself, to wage that war.
The original argument of IGN's editorial stating Epic is "weaponizing Fortnite fans," written by Imran Khan, had very little to do with war or the bigger ideas behind Epic's actions. Rather, it has everything to do with the potential very real consequences of such actions. Namely, that young people like Fortnite players so influenced will resort to online abuse and harassment, as online communities have done in the past when provoked, and that very real hurt could happen.
Sweeney is making clear that he sees the larger ideological issue behind Epic's lawsuits as just as important as the lawsuit itself. By persuading the greater online community that Epic's actions are right, perhaps the lawsuit will be influenced through sheer spectate, or perhaps Apple and Google will submit to Epic's demands outside of the court system. Epic's true intentions aren't entirely clear, but what is clear is Sweeney's willingness to wield Fortnite's audience against Apple and Google.
Source: IGN