Epic Games triumphs over Google in antitrust battle

A jury's unanimous decision on Monday marked a significant victory for Epic Games over Google in a pivotal antitrust case that could redefine the operational landscape of app marketplaces like Google Play.

The verdict ends a three year long legal battle between the tech giants. Epic Games, known for the popular game Fortnite, filed a lawsuit against Google in 2020, accusing the company of violating antitrust laws in its app store operations, as well as violating federal and California state laws.

The court clash was part of Epic's broader initiative to mobilize app developers against entrenched gatekeepers, targeting both Apple and Google.

Epic claims that both tech giants are violating antitrust laws by forcing app users to make payments through their own systems and receiving a significant portion of app revenue. Apple and Google's defense comes down to security concerns that justify them requiring users to use a central software authority.

Epic described the verdict as a victory for app developers and consumers around the world, arguing that Google's app store practices are illegal and use monopoly to extract excessive fees, stifle competition and discourage innovation.

Epic Games expressed optimism about impending regulations, such as the UK's Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumer Bill and the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Despite the ongoing legal maneuvers, Epic Games is celebrating recent successes, including an unexpected court victory and the recent launch of the Lego blockbuster Fortnite, which garnered more than 2.4 million concurrent players.