Core Viewpoint - The emergence of AI models capable of generating interactive 3D environments is set to disrupt the global video game industry, potentially reshaping a market valued at tens of billions of dollars [3][4]. Group 1: AI Impact on Gaming - Leading AI teams, including Google DeepMind and World Labs, believe that "world models" will significantly transform the gaming industry [4]. - World Labs, co-founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, launched its first commercial product, Marble, which allows users to create coherent, high-fidelity 3D worlds from a single image, video, or text prompt [5]. - The technology is expected to disrupt existing game engines like Unity and Unreal, with experts predicting a fundamental change in software and game development in the coming years [8]. Group 2: Industry Growth and AI Integration - According to Newzoo, the global gaming industry is projected to generate nearly $190 billion in revenue this year, with generative AI tools already being utilized for creating visual assets in games [9]. - AI has reportedly increased the development speed of games, with Game Gears' CEO stating that their game development pace has quadrupled due to AI [9]. - The integration of AI in gaming is exemplified by Epic Games' collaboration with Disney to introduce an AI-driven character in Fortnite, showcasing the potential for interactive non-player characters [10]. Group 3: Future of Game Development - Experts predict that players will soon be able to create entirely new game worlds, reducing reliance on expensive software and specialized skills [13]. - The ability to create highly personalized games is becoming simpler, which could lead to a significant transformation in the gaming industry [14]. - While some critics express concerns about AI leading to job displacement and low-quality content, optimists believe AI can lower costs, enhance creativity, and alleviate developer burnout in a high-cost industry where top games often exceed $1 billion in development costs [15].

李飞飞表示，这项技术将影响Unity和Epic旗下Unreal等游戏引擎，"这一切都将被颠覆，模拟类游 戏引擎确实到了该升级的时候了。" 据介绍，Marble基于领先的生成式3D世界模型技术构建，使用户"能够仅凭一张图片、一段影片或 一段文字提示，创建空间连贯、高保真且可持续的三维世界"。 谷歌DeepMind、World Labs等领先的AI团队都认为，所谓的"世界模型"可能会重塑价值数十亿美元 的游戏行业。 World Labs由"AI教母"李飞飞联合创办。上月，公司正式推出了其首款商业产品、由生成式AI驱动 的三维世界生成系统Marble。 DeepMind世界模型项目Genie 3的联合负责人Shlomi Fruchter表示："软件开发，尤其是游戏开发， 正在发生巨大变化，我预计在未来几年，这种变化甚至可能是彻底性的。" "这将赋能创作者和开发者，让他们更快、更好地创造作品，并以此前从未有过的方式进行创 作……我认为它不会取代现有的游戏体验，但我们会看到更多今天还不存在的新型体验。" 除了游戏领域，xAI、英伟达等公司，也希望将世界模型嵌入机器人和自动驾驶汽车中。但更直 接、更触手可及的进步，可能首 ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple is facing significant challenges to its App Store monopoly as Japan implements the "Mobile Software Competition Law," allowing third-party app stores and payment methods, marking a critical shift in its business model [5][10][11]. Group 1: Impact of Regulatory Changes - Japan's new law requires Apple to permit developers to use third-party app stores and payment methods, which is a major loss of control for the company [10]. - The law will take effect on December 18, 2024, and Apple has already begun supporting third-party app stores in Japan [10]. - The adjustments to Apple's commission structure in Japan represent a substantial concession, with fees reduced to 5% for third-party app stores compared to the previous standard of 30% [11]. Group 2: Financial Performance and Service Revenue - In the current fiscal year, Apple reported total revenue of $313.8 billion, with service revenue reaching $79.6 billion, accounting for over 25% of total revenue [9]. - Service business gross margins are significantly higher at 75%, compared to 40% for iPhone hardware, making it a crucial profit driver for Apple [9]. - The App Store generated total sales of $1.29 trillion last year, with an estimated commission revenue of around $30 billion [9]. Group 3: Global Regulatory Landscape - The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) has already forced Apple to lower its commission rates and open its platform to third-party app stores [12][15]. - Apple faces potential fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue for non-compliance with the DMA, which could amount to billions of euros [15]. - Other countries, including the UK, South Korea, Turkey, Brazil, and Colombia, are also initiating antitrust investigations against Apple, indicating a global trend towards regulatory scrutiny [32]. Group 4: Ongoing Legal Challenges - Apple is involved in ongoing litigation with Epic Games, which has challenged the company's payment practices and commission rates [27][29]. - A recent ruling allowed Apple to charge a "reasonable" commission based on actual costs, rather than the previously high rates, indicating a shift in the legal landscape [28]. - The U.S. Department of Justice is also pursuing antitrust litigation against Apple, which could further impact its business model and market practices [30][31].

上周四，苹果日本分公司宣布，根据日本新实施的《移动软件竞争法》，将在日本开放第三方应用商店 和外部支付渠道。这是继欧盟之后，苹果再次被迫打破应用商店的双重垄断——应用分发和支付通道。 半数利润来自服务业务 现在，日本iOS用户不仅可以在iPhone安装第三方应用商店，也可以直接从外部网站下载应用安装，更 可以直接向应用开发商支付购买。这还是我们熟悉的iOS生态吗？ 当前财年的前三个季度，苹果营收总计3138亿美元，其中服务业务营收796亿美元，营收占比已经超过 25%，仅次于iPhone硬件销售。市场预计今年苹果这块业务营收更将首次超过1000亿美元，甚至超过大 多数财富五百强企业的总营收。 而且，相对于iPhone 40%的毛利率，服务业务的毛利率高达75%，是苹果真正的利润保证，预计今年利 润占比将接近一半。苹果并不公布"应用佣金"的具体营收，但去年苹果应用商店的总销售额高达1.29万 亿美元，其中10%来自数字商品与服务，即应用内购买，按照这一金额估算，苹果的提成可能在300亿 美元左右。 但现在，苹果这棵每年几百亿美元的摇钱树却面临着生存危机。从欧洲的高压打击，到日本的强制开 放，再到美国法院的反复拉 ...

事件源于2024年日本《移动软件竞争法》的通过，当时斯威尼曾乐观宣布《堡垒之夜》将登陆日本iOS 市场，彼时他尚未知晓苹果的具体合规方案。如今苹果出台的新规则显示，Epic若通过替代应用商店分 发游戏，需向苹果支付5%的收入分成；若通过苹果App Store分发，要么就Epic Games商店的游戏内购 买收入付5%费用，要么就网页链接数字购买付15%费用。 斯威尼在声明中怒斥苹果滥用市场地位，阻碍开发者与用户的正常交易，既无法形成真正竞争，也损害 了消费者利益。对此，苹果方面回应称，新规则制定过程中已与日本监管机构充分合作，符合当地法规 要求。（旺旺） 来源：环球网 【环球网科技综合报道】12月19日消息，据macrumors报道，Epic Games首席执行官蒂姆·斯威尼日前公 开宣布，因苹果新App Store规则收取高额不合理费用，公司将无法按承诺在2025年末把《堡垒之夜》 推向日本iOS平台，同时直指苹果违反日本《移动软件竞争法》，计划向日本公平贸易委员会提起申 诉。 ...

来源：环球网 【环球网科技综合报道】12月12日消息，据MLeX报道，美国第九巡回上诉法院近日对苹果公司与游戏 开发商Epic Games之间的长期法律纠纷作出最新裁决，部分推翻此前地方法院的相关制裁，允许苹果未 来对iOS应用内通过链接引导至外部网站完成的购买（即"链接外购"）收取"合理"佣金，但明确该佣金 费率需由地方法院进一步确定或双方协商达成，苹果目前暂无法立即重启收费。 这起纠纷的源头可追溯至2021年，美国地方法院法官伊冯娜·冈萨雷斯·罗杰斯曾颁布禁令，要求苹果允 许应用开发者在iOS应用中提供外部支付链接，以促进市场竞争，禁止苹果阻止开发者告知用户更优惠 的支付方式。苹果随后修改政策，允许提供相关链接，但规定用户点击链接后7天内在外部网站完成的 购买，开发者需向苹果支付27%的佣金（应用内购佣金为30%）。 Epic Games认为，这一27%的佣金费率仍偏高，且开发者还需额外支付第三方支付处理费，实质上违背 了2021年禁令的"反引导"精神，遂诉请法院裁定苹果藐视法庭。2024年4月，罗杰斯法官裁定苹果公然 违抗2021年禁令，认为27%的佣金设计旨在阻碍开发者提供、消费者使用外部链接，构成民 ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple Inc. has faced a setback in its legal battle against a ruling that found it in contempt of court, but it has gained an opportunity to defend its practice of charging developers fees for transactions outside the App Store [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - A federal appeals court upheld a previous ruling that Apple had willfully disobeyed a judge's order regarding its monopolistic practices under California law [1][2]. - The court indicated that the lower court had overstepped by prohibiting all commissions, suggesting that Apple is entitled to some compensation for the use of its intellectual property by developers [1][2]. Group 2: Financial Implications - Apple generates billions annually from digital sales commissions in its App Store, with estimates suggesting it earned $10 billion from its U.S. App Store in 2024 [2]. - The company has facilitated over $400 billion in developer sales in 2024, although it does not separately report App Store revenue [2]. Group 3: Ongoing Disputes - The legal dispute, initiated by Epic Games over competition in the App Store, has been ongoing for over five years, with Apple previously allowing developers to direct users to cheaper payment options but imposing a new 27% commission on such transactions [2][3].

Core Insights - Epic Games is experiencing significant growth, particularly with the launch of Unreal Engine 5 and its integration into numerous high-profile games, including titles like "ARC Raiders" and "Black Myth: Wukong" [3] - The company has established a robust UGC ecosystem through "Fortnite," which has become one of the largest UGC platforms globally, attracting considerable attention from the industry [3][10] Group 1: Unreal Engine and Development Tools - Epic provides a suite of development tools, including Unreal Engine, MetaHuman, and RealityScan, to support developers [3] - The company plans to launch a cross-platform marketplace called "Fab" in October 2024, allowing asset sharing across various game engines, including Unity and Godot [3] Group 2: Epic Online Services and Social Features - Epic has surpassed 900 million registered accounts and 6 billion connections among friends on its Epic Online Services [3] - Starting next year, Epic will introduce the "Epic Social Overlay" feature across all platforms, enabling developers to easily integrate social functionalities into their games at no cost [5] Group 3: Epic Games Store and Revenue Sharing - Since its launch, Epic has distributed $2.1 billion (approximately 14.8 billion RMB) to developers from the Epic Games Store, maintaining a favorable revenue-sharing model [7] - The mobile version of the Epic Games Store has reached 53 million installations, with expectations to exceed 70 million by the end of the year [9] Group 4: UGC Ecosystem and Creator Economy - Epic has paid UGC creators $722 million (approximately 5.1 billion RMB) since the launch of "Creator Economy 2.0" in 2023, promoting new monetization opportunities through in-game item sales [10] - The total playtime for third-party content created in "Fortnite" has reached 11.2 billion hours, with 260,000 games developed within the platform [9] Group 5: Long-term Vision and Future Developments - Tim Sweeney envisions a metaverse with interoperability, allowing players to transfer their in-game assets across different games, enhancing the gaming experience [10] - Epic is developing a new programming language called Verse and a Scene Graph for better content management, aiming for integration in the next-generation Unreal Engine 6, expected in the next two and a half years [11]

作为对比，苹果对 App Store 游戏内购（ 虚拟支付 ）的抽成在 15% 或 30% 的水平。（ 年收入小于 100 万美元的中小开发者可享受 15% 费率 ） 表面上看，这是从 30% 降到 15%的大折扣，但实际上对于开发者来说，这是 0% 升到 15% 的 " 加税 "。 因为在此之前，由于腾讯没与苹果方面谈妥，iOS 端的微信根本就不支持苹果的虚拟支付功能，苹果无 法抽成。同时，腾讯为防止激化与苹果矛盾，也未对这部分充值流水进行抽成，iOS 对小游戏开发者来 讲这是一个低费率天堂。 11 月 14 日，苹果正式推出 " 小程序合作伙伴计划 "，对符合条件的小程序内交易仅抽取 15% 佣金。 那么，从业者对这样的改动，如何看待呢？ "弊大于利"，小游戏从业者李雾对知危坦言。 在利益直接相关的从业者角度看来，新政看似是苹果税的降低，其实在传达另一层意思：苹果税必须交 了。 李雾透露，安卓系统中，小游戏中的内购可以直接拉起微信支付，iOS 虽说不能直接拉起微信支付，但 它可以让用户先跳到腾讯的客服页面，然后由开发者自动给用户下发一个支付链接。" 打开这个支付链 接，就是用微信支付。这个叫 H5 支付或 ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple and Epic Games are requesting the court to reconsider its antitrust ruling, which allows developers to place links in their apps but does not oppose Apple's 30% commission on App Store sales [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - Both Apple and Epic submitted independent court documents challenging the ruling made by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals [1]. - The companies are seeking either a rehearing by the three-judge panel or a hearing by all 11 judges of the appeals court [1][2]. - The original lawsuit dates back to 2021 when a federal district court in California ruled that Apple's 30% commission on developers' sales was illegal [1]. Group 2: Arguments from Apple and Epic - Apple argues that its commission structure promotes fair market competition and does not violate any antitrust laws, opposing a nationwide injunction against this policy [1]. - Epic contends that Apple's commission policy directly impacts the core mission of federal antitrust laws to promote market competition, claiming the appeals court did not adequately balance the effects of the commission on consumers and competition [2]. Group 3: Current Status of the Case - The district court's ruling is currently on hold and not enforced as the case is in the appeals process [5]. - The presiding judge, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, indicated that Apple cannot prevent third-party developers from providing alternative payment links to consumers [5]. - However, Rogers did not provide detailed guidance on how the App Store should accommodate external payment links or buttons [6]. Group 4: Global Context - Apple's enforcement of its in-app payment system has sparked controversy globally, with antitrust regulators in countries like South Korea, the Netherlands, and Japan demanding that Apple open up payment channels for third-party applications [6].