“Epic recognizes that resolving the illegality defense would postpone the entry of a final judgment,” the statement said. The company added they would willingly pay Google within ten days of the court’s final ruling to expedite implementing remedies.
Google’s Play Store Removal and Antitrust Case
Google pulled Fortnite from its Play Store in 2020 after Epic enabled users to bypass Google’s in-app payment system, which takes a commission of up to thirty percent. This sparked a lawsuit that culminated in a December 2023 jury finding Google’s app distribution policies violated antitrust law. Epic argues that Google’s practices harmed developers and customers by suppressing competition and inflating app prices.
While both parties agreed before trial that Epic broke its developer contract, Epic maintained the contract itself was illegal owing to Google’s anti-competitive practices. Epic seeks comprehensive changes to Google’s app policies, like allowing third-party app stores to distribute apps via the Play Store.
Google’s Defense and Remedies for Antitrust
Google argued the proposed changes to its Play Store policies could cost up to $137 million and lead to security issues. In a recent hearing, Google’s lawyers termed the requested injunctive relief “unprecedented,” claiming it lacked trial evidence backing. However, U.S. District Judge James Donato expressed skepticism, criticizing Google’s “monopolistic conduct” and vowing “to dismantle barriers.”
