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24600 | Michigan didn't need Jim Harbaugh against Penn State, but Ohio State is a different game
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti's ruling sent a shockwave through the conference Friday, mainly because the third game means Harbaugh will not be on the sideline for The Game. Early forecasts say 20 million will tune in for The Game this year.
Will Harbaugh really not be there? That is for the courts to decide, but Moore’s comments suggest Harbaugh, president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel are on a united front; consequences be damned in 2024 and beyond.
In the short term? The College Football Playoff committee could slide Michigan up to No. 2 now, and the debate with the Buckeyes and No. 1 Georgia is going to perk up more than ever. They are the three best teams in the country, but only one has uncertainty with the head coach.
Whether they admit it or not, Michigan still needs Harbaugh for those moments, especially in two weeks.
The reality is he might not be present for that one either. |
24601 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
In early 2022, Valve released my favorite video game console. But even I had some gripes. With the Steam Deck, I could — for the first time — play the bulk of my sprawling collection of video games wherever I’d like. But I tended to bundle it with a huge portable power supply. I also couldn’t quite shirk how much better games looked on our family’s OLED TV.
And yet, for me, an adult with limited time to play video games alone in a quiet room, nothing could beat the Steam Deck’s freedom. Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. |
24602 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
But even I had some gripes. With the Steam Deck, I could — for the first time — play the bulk of my sprawling collection of video games wherever I’d like. But I tended to bundle it with a huge portable power supply. I also couldn’t quite shirk how much better games looked on our family’s OLED TV.
And yet, for me, an adult with limited time to play video games alone in a quiet room, nothing could beat the Steam Deck’s freedom. Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. |
24603 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
But I tended to bundle it with a huge portable power supply. I also couldn’t quite shirk how much better games looked on our family’s OLED TV.
And yet, for me, an adult with limited time to play video games alone in a quiet room, nothing could beat the Steam Deck’s freedom. Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch . |
24604 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
I also couldn’t quite shirk how much better games looked on our family’s OLED TV.
And yet, for me, an adult with limited time to play video games alone in a quiet room, nothing could beat the Steam Deck’s freedom. Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. |
24605 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. |
24606 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap. |
24607 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. |
24608 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. |
24609 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. |
24610 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
It appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). |
24611 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter. |
24612 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck. |
24613 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
For those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. |
24614 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. |
24615 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore. |
24616 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? |
24617 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
So, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! |
24618 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise
OLED is in the name for a reason.
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience. |
24619 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. |
24620 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. |
24621 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz. |
24622 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Steam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. |
24623 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. |
24624 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR. |
24625 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. |
24626 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. |
24627 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger. |
24628 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
You know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC. |
24629 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. |
24630 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. |
24631 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
I got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%. |
24632 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. |
24633 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. |
24634 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.
All the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED
Since the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. |
24635 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words. |
24636 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review. |
24637 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Some changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. |
24638 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) |
24639 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch. |
24640 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.
One small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. |
24641 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.
One small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? |
24642 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.
One small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples! |
24643 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
A review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.
One small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!
All of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. |
24644 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.
One small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!
All of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. |
24645 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!
All of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. |
24646 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!
All of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? |
24647 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!
All of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?
I suppose that’s the question, really. |
24648 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?
I suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED model technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. |
24649 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Valve will be selling three models:
$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)
$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)
$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)
Plus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?
I suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED model technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. For someone like me, who puts hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck each year, the upgrade is inescapable. |
24650 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?
I suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED model technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. For someone like me, who puts hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck each year, the upgrade is inescapable.
And if you don’t have a Steam Deck? How many times can I say it: This is my favorite console ever. And it just got better.
The Steam Deck OLED will be available Nov. 16 to purchase through the Steam storefront. The hardware was reviewed with a unit provided by Valve. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. |
24651 | The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen
Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?
I suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED model technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. For someone like me, who puts hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck each year, the upgrade is inescapable.
And if you don’t have a Steam Deck? How many times can I say it: This is my favorite console ever. And it just got better.
The Steam Deck OLED will be available Nov. 16 to purchase through the Steam storefront. The hardware was reviewed with a unit provided by Valve. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here . |
24652 | Epic v. Google, explained
On Monday, Fortnite publisher Epic Games will drag a tech giant into court, alleging that its mobile app store is an illegal monopoly. You may be feeling some déjà vu!
After all, didn’t Epic already go to trial with Apple, resulting in a ruling where Apple (mostly) won? Didn’t Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening? |
24653 | Epic v. Google, explained
You may be feeling some déjà vu!
After all, didn’t Epic already go to trial with Apple, resulting in a ruling where Apple (mostly) won? Didn’t Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. |
24654 | Epic v. Google, explained
After all, didn’t Epic already go to trial with Apple, resulting in a ruling where Apple (mostly) won? Didn’t Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. |
24655 | Epic v. Google, explained
Didn’t Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. |
24656 | Epic v. Google, explained
Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. |
24657 | Epic v. Google, explained
What are we doing here again?
The short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple. |
24658 | Epic v. Google, explained
Hi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan. |
24659 | Epic v. Google, explained
Update, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. |
24660 | Epic v. Google, explained
Original story continues:
Llamacorn what now? What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. |
24661 | Epic v. Google, explained
What is happening?
Before we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. |
24662 | Epic v. Google, explained
Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! |
24663 | Epic v. Google, explained
Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad. |
24664 | Epic v. Google, explained
Critics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. |
24665 | Epic v. Google, explained
When Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. |
24666 | Epic v. Google, explained
First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two. |
24667 | Epic v. Google, explained
It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me? |
24668 | Epic v. Google, explained
Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. |
24669 | Epic v. Google, explained
Then: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you. |
24670 | Epic v. Google, explained
It was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you.
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free. |
24671 | Epic v. Google, explained
Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you.
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming? |
24672 | Epic v. Google, explained
Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…
It is time for trial number two.
That sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you.
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming?
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete. |
24673 | Epic v. Google, explained
The future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you.
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming?
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well. |
24674 | Epic v. Google, explained
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming?
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. |
24675 | Epic v. Google, explained
But if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming?
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax. |
24676 | Epic v. Google, explained
Or maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!
What exactly is Epic claiming?
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax.
But Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general. |
24677 | Epic v. Google, explained
Epic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax.
But Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.
This whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. |
24678 | Epic v. Google, explained
Epic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax.
But Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.
This whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing. |
24679 | Epic v. Google, explained
So, does Google have a monopoly?
A monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax.
But Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.
This whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.
Looking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! |
24680 | Epic v. Google, explained
But Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.
This whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.
Looking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! |
24681 | Epic v. Google, explained
It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.
This whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.
Looking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system. |
24682 | Epic v. Google, explained
If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.
Looking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. |
24683 | Epic v. Google, explained
Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.
Looking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. |
24684 | Epic v. Google, explained
And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay. |
24685 | Epic v. Google, explained
On the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.
But she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. |
24686 | Epic v. Google, explained
As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.
But she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown. |
24687 | Epic v. Google, explained
How did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?
Well… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.
But she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown.
How can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look. |
24688 | Epic v. Google, explained
Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.
But she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown.
How can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. |
24689 | Epic v. Google, explained
She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.
But she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown.
How can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. |
24690 | Epic v. Google, explained
I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown.
How can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? |
24691 | Epic v. Google, explained
How can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! |
24692 | Epic v. Google, explained
Epic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:
1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.) |
24693 | Epic v. Google, explained
Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. |
24694 | Epic v. Google, explained
2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include. |
24695 | Epic v. Google, explained
3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.
Wait, why does that matter?
Epic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.
Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up. |
24696 | Epic v. Google, explained
(That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.
Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up.
Epic stands alone.
Could we get a settlement between Google and Epic as well? |
24697 | Epic v. Google, explained
(That one was a “bench trial.”)
Maybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.
Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up.
Epic stands alone.
Could we get a settlement between Google and Epic as well?
Epic seems to have no interest in settling as long as the “Google tax” exists, and the company’s repeatedly said it’s not interested in cash. |
24698 | Epic v. Google, explained
Who knows!
(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.
Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up.
Epic stands alone.
Could we get a settlement between Google and Epic as well?
Epic seems to have no interest in settling as long as the “Google tax” exists, and the company’s repeatedly said it’s not interested in cash. So far, the company’s been willing to push these cases all the way through multiple appeals, cost be damned. |
24699 | Epic v. Google, explained
Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)
Didn’t other parties sue Google too?
They did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.
Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up.
Epic stands alone.
Could we get a settlement between Google and Epic as well?
Epic seems to have no interest in settling as long as the “Google tax” exists, and the company’s repeatedly said it’s not interested in cash. So far, the company’s been willing to push these cases all the way through multiple appeals, cost be damned.
It’s not clear what Google could proactively offer that would satisfy Epic, since CEO Tim Sweeney has also publicly suggested that Google would simply circumvent any settlement it offers. |
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