Paying for Xbox Live in order to access games with matchmaking/sometimes dedicated servers on Microsoft resources and services (because that's what you're paying for)? Sure! But somebody who wants to play a game with non-platform crossplay, like Rocket League or something like Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, absolutely should not have to pay for Xbox Live, and I don't see why that would be controversial.

Alright. When you see them, please forward me all the articles clamoring for making Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, or others to do so. Btw why exactly do I need to get approval from Steam to sell games on their store? Why can’t I sell World of Warcraft gold on eBay, and why does Epic have a monopoly on the marketplace for Fortnite?

Better yet, why do I need Wal-Mart’s approval to sell anything?

"Oh but nobody's talking about this other shitty thing so everything must be permitted" is...certainly a way to approach the world, but not one to which I subscribe. Nor should you.

And Steam doesn't, and in fact cannot, prevent you from installing GOG Galaxy or downloading games from itch.io. (And devices like the Steam Link will happily play games sourced from GOG Galaxy or itch.io through them!)

This is tiresome. I will not reply to you further.

Again, why do I have to follow their rules for their App Store?

> Why do I have to pay Microsoft to play via Xbox Live?

Exactly! If you bought your Xbox through Apple, you'd be paying Apple a chunk for the privilege of using a Microsoft service. See the issue?

...no because this doesn’t make any sense. If you bought your Xbox through Apple for some reason it would be similar to buying it from Best Buy... where Microsoft still has a monopoly on Xbox Live services.

But that is what is happening right now!

If you purchase a Netflix subscription from the Netflix app that you got from the Apple store (replace Netflix with Xbox here to see the comparability), Apple takes 30% every single month. Never mind the fact that you might be using the Netflix account on your non-Apple TV or laptop.

Apple also ensures that you can't buy it through Netflix directly, you have to buy it through them. You would have to purchase the subscription outside of the Netflix app.

Yes, because Apple provides the platform and you discovered Netflix through the App Store. If it’s a problem you can just not have your app on the store or, as Netflix is doing, not have people sign up via the App Store.

Why shouldn’t Apple get what amounts to a referral fee here?

> Why shouldn’t Apple get what amounts to a referral fee here?

Why should they? I feel like you are not getting the point that everyone is trying to make to you. Maybe if I throw a few more examples at you. Otherwise I give up...

If I buy a smart TV at Wall-Mart, Wall-Mart gets a 'referral' fee for the TV but not for the Netflix subscription I use on that TV.

If I buy an Xbox at Wall-Mart, Wall-Mart gets a 'referral' fee for the Xbox but not for the Xbox live subscription I run on that console.

If I buy a physical copy of Adobe Photoshop at Wall-Mart, Wall-Mart gets a 'referral' fee for the purchase but does not get a cut when I sign up to Adobe's CS subscription each year (because at that point there is no more 'referral' going on!).

If I buy a fridge at Wall-Mart I am allowed to purchase my groceries I put in it from stores other than Wall-Mart. Imagine if Wall-Mart set up a system to block any non-Wall-Mart purchased groceries from going into the fridge? Then you'd be forced to pay a 'referral' fee to Wall-Mart every time you want to use your device. No one could set up a competing store to sell you groceries for your Wall-Mart fridge.