Epic Games Wins Landmark Antitrust Case Against Google's Play Store Monopoly
Epic Games has emerged victorious in its antitrust lawsuit against Google, with a unanimous jury finding Google liable for monopolization and unlawful business practices under the Sherman Antitrust Act.
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The verdict specifically identified Google's monopolistic control over two key markets:
- Android app distribution market
- Android in-app billing services for digital goods and services transactions
The jury determined that Google had:
- Willfully maintained monopoly power through anticompetitive conduct
- Created unlawful trade restraints through developer agreements
- Illegally tied Google Play Store usage to Google Play Billing
- Harmed developers through excessive fees and restrictive policies
Prior to the verdict, settlement attempts were made between key figures:
- Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney met with Android executives for 60-90 minutes
- A subsequent 60-minute meeting occurred between Sweeney and Google CEO Sundar Pichai
- Neither meeting resulted in a settlement
Epic Games celebrated the verdict as "a win for all app developers and consumers around the world," stating it proves Google's app store practices are illegal and monopolistic. The company emphasized this case demonstrates the need for stronger legislation, specifically citing:
- UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill
- EU's Digital Markets Act
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The verdict represents a significant shift in the digital marketplace landscape and could lead to major changes in how app stores operate and charge developers.