GYGO: Peely’s Day in Court

Howdy and welcome to this week’s installment of Get Your Game On! It’s Maddi, checking in with all the latest and not-so-greatest goings on in the video game industry. You will probably be unsurprised to learn that over the last month I have played little other than Hades, but having finished a big part of the main game I am now consumed by the incredibly important task of getting Zagreus a boyfriend. (Although I did play, and recommend, the delightfully dramatic Overboard! by 80 Days creators Inkle.) What have you been up to? Let us know on Twitter, or, if you’re a Sidequest Patron at the Sega Genesis tier or higher, you can tell us about your favorites in our Discord!

Judge Issues a Ruling in Epic v. Apple

A year ago, Epic Games sued Apple over its alleged monopoly on the mobile app space. If you need a refresher, the main issue was that Epic had introduced its own in-game transaction system to get around paying Apple’s 30% commission, which led to Apple taking down Fortnite from the app store. Epic sued, leading to a whole lot of professional lawyers and CEOs hilariously attempting to define the term “video game,” as well as Fortnite mascot Peely appearing in a tuxedo to show respect for the solemnity of a court proceeding.

Now, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ruled that while Apple’s in-app transaction system and iOS do not constitute a monopoly on the mobile app space, Apple does have to remove its anti-steering policies. Essentially, this policy banned developers from informing customers about (potentially cheaper) alternatives to the Apple purchasing system. Apple was also awarded damages because Epic violated its developer agreement. Adi Robertson has written a great explanation of the ruling and its implication for The Verge, which I highly encourage you to read.

Twitch Sues Two Alleged Hate Raiders

On Wednesday, September 1, many Twitch streamers and viewers participated in #ADayOffTwitch, in protest of Twitch’s inaction in handling recent hate raids. Since December’s report last week, Twitch has filed lawsuits against two alleged hate raiders, known only as CreatineOverdose and CruzzControl. In the filing, Twitch said both users have been banned but continued to make accounts and violate Twitch’s terms of service.

Twitch Streamer Arcadum Accused of Grooming and Manipulation, Fan Communities Shut Down

At the end of August, numerous women came forward to speak out about Twitch streamer Arcadum, saying he manipulated them and made sexual advances. Arcadum, whose real name is Jeremy Black, is a professional game master; his Dungeons and Dragons projects include Callous Row and Verum. The Living World of Verum in particular has amassed a large fan community; in the wake of the allegations, many of the artists and fans have decided to shut down the communities. Since the victims came forward Black issued a statement and stepped back from streaming indefinitely.

In other news…

Bugsnax developer Young Horses is permanently adopting a four-day workweek model after testing it out in July.

Alan Wake is getting the remaster treatment, layers and all. Alan Wake Remastered will come to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on October 5. Notably, it will not feature the product placement included in the original.

The Broken Token CEO Greg Spence has stepped down after a former employee accused him of sexual abuse and harassment. However, he still owns the company. The Broken Token also laid off 13 employees due to lost revenue after the allegations came to light.

Life Is Strange‘s new DCMA-friendly mode isn’t without… quirks.