Epic Games Celebrates Victory as Japan Passes Landmark Law Opening Up Mobile App Stores

Epic Games has hailed a major victory in its ongoing battle against Apple and Google after Japan passed a new law that will open up mobile app stores in the country. The law, which is similar to legislation passed in the European Union and other countries, prohibits app store operators from preventing competing services from being sold on their platforms.

Epic Games has hailed a major victory in its ongoing battle against Apple and Google after Japan passed a new law that will open up mobile app stores in the country. The law, which is similar to legislation passed in the European Union and other countries, prohibits app store operators from preventing competing services from being sold on their platforms.

The new law is a major blow to Apple and Google, who have long argued that their app stores are essential to maintaining the security and quality of their platforms. However, Epic Games and other critics have argued that Apple and Google's app stores are anti-competitive and that they stifle innovation.

In a statement, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that the new law is a "monumental step forward for competition and consumer choice in the mobile app ecosystem." He added that the law "will allow developers to distribute their apps more freely and will give consumers more choice in how they download and use apps."

The new law is a major victory for Epic Games, which has been fighting a legal battle against Apple over the App Store for the past two years. In August 2020, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after Epic Games introduced a new payment system that bypassed Apple's in-app purchase system. Epic Games subsequently filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company was violating antitrust laws.

The lawsuit is still ongoing, but the new law in Japan is a major boost to Epic Games' case. The law shows that there is a growing consensus among governments around the world that Apple and Google's app stores are anti-competitive.

The new law in Japan is also likely to have a significant impact on the mobile app market in the country. It is likely to lead to a wave of new app stores entering the market, offering users more choice and potentially lower prices.

However, it is important to note that the new law is not a complete victory for Epic Games. The law does not require Apple and Google to allow competing app stores to be sold on their platforms. It simply prohibits them from preventing competing services from being sold on their platforms.

This means that Apple and Google could still make it difficult for users to install apps from competing app stores. For example, they could make it difficult to find competing app stores in their app stores or they could make it difficult to install apps from competing app stores.

It remains to be seen how Apple and Google will respond to the new law. However, it is clear that the law is a major victory for Epic Games and other critics of Apple and Google's app stores.

The new law in Japan is part of a growing trend of governments around the world taking action to open up mobile app stores. In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) was passed in 2022. The DMA prohibits app store operators from preventing competing services from being sold on their platforms.

The US government is also considering legislation to open up mobile app stores. In June 2022, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would prohibit app store operators from preventing competing services from being sold on their platforms.

The growing consensus among governments around the world that Apple and Google's app stores are anti-competitive is a major threat to the companies' business models. If Apple and Google are forced to open up their app stores, it could lead to a significant loss of revenue for the companies.