The Next Steps for Epic and Apple; October’s AR/VR Hardware Rush

As the Epic v. Apple fight wears on, both remain in somewhat vulnerable positions. Today, Jessica Toonkel and I reported that Epic is considering expanding into scripted entertainment, a move that could help Epic reach a wider audience even while it remains frozen out of the mobile space. Meanwhile, Apple risks having its attempt to set the rules for in-app payment alternatives backfire. That could upset Apple’s app ecosystem in a way that might stymie how Apple fares as the metaverse develops.

First, let’s focus on Epic. Our understanding is that Epic is thinking of making movies (and maybe TV shows) that would likely run inside Fortnite. The company already has screened some movies inside the platform—such as Inception and Batman Begins—but those are older films, not brand new movies. By making its own movies, Epic can decide to debut them within Fortnite, something that a traditional studio might balk at. And that way, Epic could also move towards launching its own streaming service, as it launched its own game store.