Spending, services and separate products
Donato said the $800 million figure is connected to Epic’s spending on Google services. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the company intends to use Google’s offerings “on market terms,” emphasizing that the arrangement does not involve building a single, shared product.
Instead, Sweeney said, each company will continue developing its own products independently — a key distinction as regulators scrutinize the balance between cooperation and competition.
Unreal Engine and confidential ties
Sweeney also told the court the agreement is partially linked to Epic’s own technologies, including the Unreal Engine. He noted that Epic’s tools are widely used by companies operating in sectors where Google has a presence, but he stopped short of elaborating, citing confidentiality obligations tied to the deal.
Antitrust roots still in play
The court is still considering a settlement framework in Epic’s dispute over Google Play fees and restrictions on alternative Android app stores. Epic has backed a proposal that would lower standard Google Play fees and streamline registration for competing marketplaces.
Judge Donato questioned whether the newly disclosed partnership might blunt Epic’s incentive to push for sweeping reforms that would benefit all developers, rather than just Epic itself.
Sweeney pushed back, denying the deal represented any concession. He told the court Epic continues to make substantial payments to Google, underscoring that the relationship cuts both ways.
