Epic Games Takes on Google in Legal Battle Over App Store Fees
Epic Games, the creator of the widely popular game Fortnite, has launched its legal dispute with Google.
Epic is claiming that Google's alleged monopoly is charging a 30% commission on in-app purchases through the Google Play store. Epic Games also claims that Google has strayed from its "Don't be Evil" mantra, coined back in 1998. While Google defends itself by pointing out various methods for downloading apps on Android phones and stresses competition in the app market, Epic Games insists that Google has stifled competition through contractual and technical barriers.
This trial is the latest front in the anti-trust battles against Google, with the tech giant also confronting allegations of maintaining an illegal monopoly over search in a Washington court. Interestingly, this legal showdown between Epic Games and Google closely mirrors a similar case Epic brought against Apple in 2021.
The origins of this battle date back to 2020 when Epic Games removed Fortnite from Google Play, citing the charges as "taxes" on developers. The judge in the Apple case ruled against Epic's assertion of Apple being a monopoly but allowed apps to guide users away from Apple's in-app charges.
In the current case, Epic Games argues that Google has "eliminated competition in the distribution of Android apps using myriad contractual and technical barriers," a stance disputed by Google, which asserts that Android provides multiple ways for developers to distribute apps. The trial is expected to continue over the coming weeks, with both companies making their cases and presenting witnesses, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
An Epic Games victory could potentially reshape the app store landscape and impact Google's dominance in the Android ecosystem.
