court ruling Archives

AppWizard

February 20, 2026

“It needs to cooperate fairly, and it’s clearly not.” Why Valve is facing a £656m day in the UK courts

Tim Sweeney of Epic Games has criticized revenue sharing on digital storefronts, leading to the creation of the Epic Game Store, which charges a 12% fee to developers. Legal actions against Apple and Google resulted in them allowing alternative storefronts for games. Valve maintains a 30% commission on Steam, prompting antitrust lawsuits from developers in the U.S. in 2021, which were consolidated into a class action approved in November 2024. In the UK, Vicki Shotbolt is leading a legal case against Valve, alleging violations of competition laws, with a court ruling allowing the case to proceed to trial. Shotbolt argues that Valve's 30% revenue share inflates prices for consumers and that its price parity requirement restricts developers from offering lower prices on other platforms. She emphasizes the need for fair cooperation in the gaming ecosystem and highlights Valve's market dominance, which pressures developers to use Steam. If successful, the class action could seek up to £656 million in damages for UK consumers and aims for a more equitable profit-sharing model between Valve and developers.

AppWizard

February 19, 2026

Meta’s Shutting Down its Messenger Website

Meta will retire its standalone Messenger website, messenger.com, in April 2026, directing users to facebook.com/messages for messaging on the web. The Messenger desktop app has already been discontinued, and users will continue messaging via the Messenger mobile app or Facebook without needing a separate Messenger account. This change follows Meta's strategy shift to reintegrate messaging back into Facebook, amid ongoing legal challenges regarding its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram.

TrendTechie

February 12, 2026

США конфисковали домены трех крупнейших торрент-трекеров ЕС

U.S. law enforcement, in collaboration with Bulgarian authorities, has seized the domains zamunda.net, arenabg.com, and zelka.org due to copyright infringement related to pirated content. This operation was authorized by a U.S. District Court ruling and coordinated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Europol, and Bulgarian officials. The domains, which were managed by U.S.-based registrars, have been redirected to U.S. control, displaying an official seizure notice. A significant portion of the content on these sites is owned by American companies, allowing U.S. jurisdiction. Bulgaria has been working to combat piracy since at least 2020 and was recently placed back on the U.S. Trade Representative's "Special 301 Report" list for insufficient progress. The servers hosting the trackers may be located outside Bulgaria, complicating their seizure. This operation highlights the risks faced by piracy platforms linked to international domains.

BetaBeacon

December 13, 2025

Fortnite Returns to Android on Google Play Store, Apple Loses Appeal Against Epic

Fortnite has returned to the Google Play Store in the US after a legal battle with Epic Games and Google. Android users in the US can now easily download the game, while players outside the country still need to find alternative ways to access it. Google recently settled with Epic Games, while Apple has made changes to its policies following a court ruling. Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, sees these legal developments as a step towards fair competition in the mobile payment industry.

BetaBeacon

December 12, 2025

Fortnite Returns to Android on Google Play Store, Apple Loses Its Epic Ruling Appeal

Fortnite is now available for download on Android devices through the Google Play Store after a legal battle between Epic Games and Google over in-app purchases. The game was removed in 2020 due to Epic Games introducing a way for players to make purchases without going through Google. Players in the US can now download the game from the Play Store, while players outside the US still cannot access it through the official storefront. Apple's appeal in its case against Epic Games was denied, with the court ruling that Apple can charge a fee on purchases made outside of its App Store but suggesting implementing a commission or fee limitation.

TrendTechie

November 23, 2025

Rutracker предложил пользователям оспорить решение о блокировке

RuTracker.org has decided not to appeal the Moscow City Court's ruling for its indefinite blocking, as it is registered in the Bahamas. The platform's representatives stated that pursuing legal action in Russia would be futile since they are outside the country. Instead, RuTracker will encourage users to challenge the ruling independently and provide legal consultation through a dedicated forum. They also plan to offer methods for users to bypass the block and create a section on their website for assistance. RuTracker's administrators are open to discussions with rights holders to seek reasonable compromises.

BetaBeacon

November 5, 2025

Google and Epic strike a deal that could open up Android to third-party stores

Google and Epic Games have reached a deal that will allow third-party app stores to operate on Android devices worldwide.

AppWizard

November 5, 2025

Google Settles App Store Case With Fortnite Maker Epic

Google and Epic Games have reached a settlement in their antitrust dispute regarding app distribution and monetization on Google's Android platform. The specific terms of the agreement are undisclosed, but it aligns with Google's compliance with court-mandated changes to foster competition in its Play Store. The U.S. Supreme Court recently denied Google's request for a temporary hold on a ruling requiring modifications to the Play Store, which followed a jury's decision in favor of Epic Games. The settlement retains much of the judge's original directives, introducing commission caps of 9% or 20% on purchases made outside the Play Store and replacing the requirement for app catalog access with provisions for "registered app stores." Both companies have stated that the settlement will advance the evolution of the Android platform. Additionally, Google has updated its Chrome browser to allow users to input identification details, enhancing its autofill capabilities.

AppWizard

November 5, 2025

Epic v Google ends in deal expanding Android app freedom

Epic Games and Google reached a settlement in their antitrust lawsuit, avoiding a potential Supreme Court ruling. The agreement includes global changes to the Android app ecosystem, allowing broader access for third-party app stores and reducing fees until 2032. Google will lower its standard service fee to 20% for the first year of a subscription or for transactions over one million dollars, and to 9% for other transactions. A new program will enable alternative app stores to register with Google for integration into the Google Play Store. The settlement's provisions will take effect internationally and are pending approval by Judge Donato.

AppWizard

October 30, 2025

Android Users Can Finally Score Cheaper Apps

Android users in the United States can now purchase apps using alternative payment methods and pricing strategies as Google opens its Play Store in response to a court ruling against its monopolistic practices. Developers can promote app prices and subscriptions outside the Play Store and include external links to alternative storefronts. They are no longer required to use Google Play Billing and can integrate other payment systems like PayPal or credit cards. This change is part of a court injunction that will remain in effect for three years, until November 1, 2027. Currently, these modifications are limited to the United States and do not apply to other regions.