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Ex Ashes of Creation boss Steven Sharif claims he was advised against a $250 million proposal from Riot Games to buy the MMORPG
AppWizard
April 16, 2026

Ex Ashes of Creation boss Steven Sharif claims he was advised against a $250 million proposal from Riot Games to buy the MMORPG

Steven Sharif, former founder and game director of Intrepid Studios, alleges a "deliberate misinformation and defamation campaign" against him amid ongoing legal battles with investors led by Robert Dawson. He claims to have received a 0 million acquisition offer from Riot Games, which he was advised to reject. Sharif posted a 3,700-word statement on Reddit, including court filings with witness declarations from former staff and statements from investors. Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill clarified that while they considered acquiring Intrepid, they ultimately decided not to proceed. Sharif accuses Dawson of orchestrating a defamation effort and claims that investor Jason Caramanis sought to intimidate him. Additionally, TFE Games Holdings has filed a separate lawsuit against Sharif for allegedly misappropriating funds. Sharif asserts that he believed the company was financially stable before its shutdown and that access to financial details was limited after a control shift in 2024.
Krafton still 'supporting the early access launch of Subnautica 2' despite its name being removed from the Steam page
AppWizard
April 16, 2026

Krafton still ‘supporting the early access launch of Subnautica 2’ despite its name being removed from the Steam page

Krafton has stepped back from publishing Subnautica 2 on Steam, with its subsidiary Unknown Worlds now taking on both development and publishing roles. Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021, but tensions escalated when Krafton dismissed the studio's leadership, leading to a lawsuit from CEO Ted Gill, who claimed the dismissal was to avoid a million bonus tied to the game's performance. A judge ruled in favor of Gill, reinstating him as CEO. The release date for Subnautica 2, initially set for May, is now uncertain, with Gill granted an extension until September 15 to launch the game. Subnautica 2 is currently the most wishlisted game on Steam.
Android App Store Provider Hits Google With Fresh Lawsuit Alleging Monopoly And 'Anticompetitive Chokehol
AppWizard
April 15, 2026

Android App Store Provider Hits Google With Fresh Lawsuit Alleging Monopoly And ‘Anticompetitive Chokehol

Aptoide, a Portugal-based alternative Android app store, filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco against Google, accusing the company of unlawfully monopolizing the distribution of Android applications and in-app billing systems. Aptoide claims that Google's practices create an "anticompetitive chokehold" that stifles competition and innovation. The lawsuit highlights that Aptoide offers lower commission rates for developers but has suffered harm due to Google's market dominance, which discourages developers from using alternative app stores. Aptoide seeks an injunction against Google's alleged anticompetitive practices and demands unspecified triple damages under U.S. antitrust law. Google has not yet responded to the lawsuit. This legal action is part of broader antitrust scrutiny facing Google, which has faced challenges from other companies and recent court rulings regarding its monopoly status. Following the lawsuit, Alphabet's shares saw an increase, with Class A shares rising 3.63% and Class C shares up 3.56%.
Federal Circuit Finds that Antivirus Software is Abstract and Remands for Alice, Step Two
Tech Optimizer
March 19, 2026

Federal Circuit Finds that Antivirus Software is Abstract and Remands for Alice, Step Two

Columbia University faced a setback in its patent dispute with Gen Digital Inc. regarding U.S. Patents 8,074,115 and 8,601,322, which relate to an innovative virus detection method developed in the early 2000s. The method involved evaluating the behavior of suspicious code using an emulator and a model of expected behavior derived from data across interconnected computers. Columbia initiated legal proceedings in 2013, and after various developments, a jury awarded Columbia over million in royalties for willful infringement in 2022. However, the Federal Circuit ruled that the patent claims were not sufficiently specific and remanded the case for further examination of whether the claims could constitute an inventive concept. The ruling emphasized that patent eligibility is determined by the precise language of the claims.
Google settles with Epic Games with offer to lower its app store commissions
BetaBeacon
March 4, 2026

Google settles with Epic Games with offer to lower its app store commissions

Google plans to reduce fees on its Android app store, allowing for alternative payment options and lowering baseline commissions to 10% to 20% for subscriptions and e-commerce transactions. Developers will have the choice to use alternative payment systems, and consumers will be able to download apps from certified alternative stores. The changes are pending approval from U.S. District Judge James Donato and are supported by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.
Epic Games $800 Million Deal with Google
BetaBeacon
January 26, 2026

Epic Games $800 Million Deal with Google

- Epic Games and Google have entered into a six-year, 0 million partnership involving joint product development, marketing, and technical collaboration. - The partnership includes closer integration of Unreal Engine, which powers Fortnite and many third-party games. - The judge raised concerns about how the partnership might affect Epic's legal demands in the antitrust lawsuit against Google. - Google has proposed changes to Android monetization, including new fee structures for in-app billing and web payments. - The outcome of the case could shape how monetization works across mobile platforms for years to come.
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