The problem is, this isn't a question of, "Will Epic do something like this tomorrow?"
It's "Will Epic do something like this at any point in the foreseeable future?"
Will Epic's leadership decide to IPO in hopes of more money?
Will they take a lucrative private buyout from some other billionaire with more money than sense, like Musk?
Will they hire new upper management that persuades them they need to do something like this for Serious Business Reasons?
Will they retire and be replaced by people who do the same?
The problem is, if you build your game on Unreal, you're essentially betting all its future commercial success on one for-profit company's decision to remain Less Of An Asshole Than The Other Guy. The choice of what engine you use has suddenly become about much more than just "what features does it offer?" "How many developers know how to use it?" or even "What's the pricing structure today?" You have to worry about whether they'll get it into their heads, for whatever reason, to retroactively change their pricing structure in a way that ruins you financially.
On the other hand, if you build your game on Godot, or some in-house engine, you know you'll never need to worry about that.
Also worth noting: If the gaming industry, and the public at large, send a clear enough signal to Unity now that this is unacceptable, that makes it much, much less likely that anyone else will try to pull bullshit like this in the future.
It's "Will Epic do something like this at any point in the foreseeable future?"
Will Epic's leadership decide to IPO in hopes of more money?
Will they take a lucrative private buyout from some other billionaire with more money than sense, like Musk?
Will they hire new upper management that persuades them they need to do something like this for Serious Business Reasons?
Will they retire and be replaced by people who do the same?
The problem is, if you build your game on Unreal, you're essentially betting all its future commercial success on one for-profit company's decision to remain Less Of An Asshole Than The Other Guy. The choice of what engine you use has suddenly become about much more than just "what features does it offer?" "How many developers know how to use it?" or even "What's the pricing structure today?" You have to worry about whether they'll get it into their heads, for whatever reason, to retroactively change their pricing structure in a way that ruins you financially.
On the other hand, if you build your game on Godot, or some in-house engine, you know you'll never need to worry about that.
Also worth noting: If the gaming industry, and the public at large, send a clear enough signal to Unity now that this is unacceptable, that makes it much, much less likely that anyone else will try to pull bullshit like this in the future.