Epic Games secures valuable win over Google in US court

Epic Games captured a notable win in the District Court of Northern California against Google. The jury determined that Google does indeed have monopoly power in the Android app distribution markets and in-app billing services. The court decision comes three years since Epic Games filed its initial complaint after its hit game Fortnite was removed from the Play Store due to Epic’s bypassing of Google app store fees on in-app purchases aka the “Google tax”.

Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation. - Epic Games press release

The District Court of Northern California has not revealed the exact measures that would be taken against Google yet. The court is expected to start working on remedies in January. Google’s official response came shortly after the trial ended in favor of Epic Games with a clear intent of appealing the verdict.

We plan to challenge the verdict. Android and Google Play provide more choice and openness than any other major mobile platform. The trial made clear that we compete fiercely with Apple and its App Store and app stores on Android devices and gaming consoles. We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem. - Wilson White, Google Government Affairs & Public Policy Executive

The mobile version of Fortnite was removed from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store back in 2020. Epic previously tried to sue Apple over the same reasons as Google but the court ultimately ruled in Apple’s favor. However, it did require the iPhone maker to offer a third-party in-app payment system.

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