Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, has sharply criticized Apple and Google, labeling their business practices as “gangster-style.” He argues that these tech giants prioritize profits over legal compliance, a viewpoint shaped by Epic’s ongoing legal battles with both companies.

Central to these disputes is Epic’s contention that Apple and Google have established barriers to restrict users from making purchases outside their app stores. The contention largely revolves around the substantial fees these companies impose on in-app purchases, typically around 30%.

This means that popular games like Epic’s Fortnite only retain about 70% of revenue from in-game purchases. This has fueled Sweeney’s ire, as he believes the financial model restricts developers and consumers alike.

Speaking at a Y Combinator event, he stated, “The sad truth is that Apple and Google are no longer good-faith, law-abiding companies. They’re run, in many ways, as gangster-style businesses that will do anything they think they can get away with.”

Epic’s legal conflict with Apple gained particular notoriety when the company sued over the right to enable purchases through external websites, a reform that has begun to take shape thanks to regulations like the EU’s DMA.

Despite this progress, Epic maintains that Apple has not acted in good faith. In a March 2025 complaint, Epic accused Apple’s “External Link Purchase Entitlement Program” of being “purposely designed to fail,” suggesting Apple intentionally complicates external purchases.

Epic’s grievances extend to Google as well. For example, when Android users attempt to install the Epic Games Store, Google warns that the software comes from an “unknown source,” effectively dissuading users.

Sweeney emphasizes that “crime pays for big tech companies” and warns that substantial change in enforcement is necessary to alter these practices.