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Fortnite developer Epic Games has claimed victory over Google in its antitrust case.
The lawsuit, filed by Epic back in August 2020, stemmed from Google charging fees of up to 30% on the revenue generated by in-game purchases made through the Google Play Store, and blocking the company's attempts to introduce its own payment system to bypass those steep fees.
After just hours of deliberation, a California jury ruled in favour of Epic on all counts, accusing Google of, according to the court document, "willfully acquiring or maintaining monopoly power by engaging in anticompetitive conduct."
Victory over Google! After 4 weeks of detailed court testimony, the California jury found against the Google Play monopoly on all counts. The Court’s work on remedies will start in January. Thanks for everyone’s support and faith! Free Fortnite! https://t.co/ITm4YBHCusDecember 12, 2023
"Today's verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world," Epic said in a post on its official website. "It proves that Google's app store practices are illegal and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation."
Google also issued a response saying that it will appeal the decision. In a statement, Wilson White, vice-president of government affairs and public policy, said, "We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem."
Epic filed a similar lawsuit against Apple in 2020, although in that instance, the court ultimately sided with Apple. The impact of today's ruling and what it means for developers and digital storefronts remains to be seen.
It's certainly a good time for Epic Games, as the newly launched Lego Fortnite has garnered a massive 2.3 million concurrent players, more than every Fortnite battle royale mode combined.
