Testifying in a San Francisco federal courthouse, Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney described the company’s legal battle with Google. The conflict began in 2020 when Epic requested that Google stop charging app developers a 30% fee for purchases made on the Play Store on Android devices. When Google refused, Epic installed its own payment system in the Fortnite app, resulting in Google removing the game from the Play Store. Sweeney accused Google of exercising monopolistic control over mobile game developers. The outcome of the trial could have significant implications, potentially forcing Google to allow competing payment systems on the Play Store. Sweeney, determined to go to trial alone, insisted that his goal was to distribute games to more users, despite facing scrutiny over Epic’s profits and pricing strategies. The trial is expected to conclude next month.
