Epic Games Achieves Significant Legal Triumph Over Google in Monopoly Litigation

In a pivotal verdict the jury in the legal battle between Epic Games and Google has unanimously ruled in favor of Epic Games.

This judgment asserts that Google’s operations involving its Google Play app store and Google Play Billing service are in violation of monopoly laws.

This victory follows Epic Games’ legal actions, initiated three years prior, alleging that the tech giants Apple and Google were operating illegal monopolies within their respective app store ecosystems.

The jury’s decision, reached after just a few hours of deliberation, determined that Google wields monopolistic power in the Android app distribution and in-app billing services markets. They further identified that Google engaged in anticompetitive practices within these sectors, causing harm to Epic Games. Additionally, the jury also recognized an unlawful linkage between Google’s Google Play app store and its Google Play Billing payment services.

Wilson White, Google’s Vice President of Affairs and Public Policy, announced the company’s plan to appeal the verdict, arguing that the trial demonstrated Google’s robust competition with Apple and its App Store and other app stores on Android devices and gaming consoles.

Epic Games, in a blog post, hailed the verdict as a victory for app developers and consumers worldwide, asserting the ruling as evidence of Google’s illegal app store operations, citing alleged abuses of monopolistic power to extract excessive fees, stifle competition, and impede innovation.

The Epic v. Google case contrasts with Epic’s previous legal battle with Apple, where the court ruled against Epic. Two years ago, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers concluded that the dispute between Apple and Epic was unrelated to the apps.

This recent lawsuit focused on undisclosed revenue-sharing agreements between Google, smartphone manufacturers, and major game developers. Internal secret documents revealed that Google executives acknowledged these agreements would limit the expansion of competing app stores.

While the jury has delivered its verdict, the exact consequences and remedies are yet to be determined by Judge James Donato. Epic Games’ primary goal was not monetary compensation but rather to achieve a ruling that app developers will have the freedom to introduce their own app stores and billing systems on the Android platform.

The future of Google’s app store remains uncertain, with further discussions scheduled between both parties and the judge in January. Although Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney indicated significant potential financial gains for Epic if liberated from Google’s fees, the definitive outcome and any possible remedies are to be decided in the upcoming weeks.

This legal victory for Epic Games could set a precedent for challenging app store monopolies, promoting a more competitive environment in the digital marketplace.

Source: The Verge