The jury in the Epic v Google case has finally reached a verdict and it’s a major win for Epic. According to The Verge, the jury unanimously found that Google had monopolized the Android app distribution and in-app billing service markets and made anticompetitive deals with game developers, in particular its 30% tax on apps.
Epic games made a celebratory blog post shortly after the verdict announcement Tuesday morning.
“Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation,” wrote Epic.
“Over the course of the trial we saw evidence that Google was willing to pay billions of dollars to stifle alternative app stores by paying developers to abandon their own store efforts and direct distribution plans, and offering highly lucrative agreements with device manufacturers in exchange for excluding competing app stores,” the company continued.
Unsurprisingly, despite the verdict Google isn’t going down without a fight. In a statement from Google VP, Government Affairs & Public Policy Wilson White, Google is determined to fight the verdict.
“…The trial made clear that we compete fiercely with Apple and its App Store, as well as app stores on Android devices and gaming consoles,” wrote White. “We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem.”
Remedies towards the verdict have vet to be revealed by The presiding Judge James Donato. The decision will likely be made sometime in early 2024 after Donato meets with both companies.
Regardless of the remedies, this verdict has already signaled the start of massive change in the mobile gaming market.