Epic Games and Google Reach Settlement in Long-standing Legal Battle
Video game maker Epic Games has announced a “comprehensive settlement” with Google, marking the potential end to a 5-year legal battle focused on Google’s Play Store for Android apps. The agreement was revealed in a joint legal document filed in a San Francisco federal court by both companies.
According to the statement, the settlement aims to set aside disputes and enhance the Android platform for both users and developers, making it more vibrant and competitive. This development comes after Epic Games, known for the popular online game Fortnite, secured a victory earlier this year when a federal appeals court upheld a jury verdict criticizing Google’s Android app store as an illegal monopoly.
While the specific terms of the settlement remain confidential pending approval by U.S. District Judge James Donato, Epic and Google have shared some broad agreements. The settlement aligns with Donato’s previous ruling in October 2024, which mandated Google to dismantle barriers in its app store to foster competition. This includes a provision requiring the distribution of rival third-party app stores on the platform.
Google’s attempt to challenge these changes through an appeal was thwarted by a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in July, adding to the tech giant’s legal setbacks in multiple antitrust trials. Epic Games initiated lawsuits against both Google and Apple in 2020, seeking to bypass exclusive payment processing systems that imposed high commissions on in-app transactions.
The proposed settlement suggests that Google will now limit these payments to a range of 9% to 20%, depending on the transaction. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed enthusiasm for the agreement, referring to it as an “awesome proposal” in a social media post. A hearing to finalize the settlement is scheduled for Thursday.
