Epic Games wins lawsuit against Google Play

The legal dispute between Epic Games and Google, which lasted three years, has finally been resolved. The jury sided with Epic Games, believing that due to its dominant position in the market, Google had formed an illegal monopoly on its site.

Recall that Epic Games sued Apple and Google three years ago when both platform holders removed Fortnite from the App Store and Google Play. The game was dropped after introducing the ability to make purchases directly, bypassing Apple and Google payment systems. On December 12, the jury answered positively to all questions from the final list. The assessors admitted that Google has a monopoly on the market for applications for Android devices and in billing systems within the programs, and also carried out anti-competitive actions that damaged Epic Games.

During the proceedings, information became known about secret agreements governing the distribution of income between Google, smartphone manufacturers and the creators of popular games. These agreements essentially limited developers in their choice of digital stores.

Epic Games called the court's decision "a triumph for app developers and consumers around the world." The head of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, expressed gratitude for the support. While Google expressed its intention to appeal the verdict.

Unlike the Apple lawsuit, where Epic largely lost, this hearing was a big victory for the studio.. However, the final results and consequences of this decision will be clarified only after the final verdict is announced in January. Epic Games is not seeking compensation from Google, but wants the court to recognize the right of every developer to create their own marketplaces and payment systems on Android.