Google Play Store Antitrust Lawsuit: The Epic Games Win

The Verdict

Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, sued Google over the same core complaint it made against Apple: that Google unlawfully monopolized how apps are distributed on Android and how in-app purchases are billed, taking a large cut of developers’ revenue. But the outcome was strikingly different. In December 2023, a jury found that Google had illegally maintained monopoly power over Android app distribution and its in-app billing system, and had unlawfully tied the two together. Where Apple mostly prevailed on the monopoly question, Google lost outright before a jury.

One reason for the different result was evidence about Google’s deals with device makers and developers, and the destruction of internal chat records, which hurt its case.

The Remedy

In 2024 the trial judge ordered sweeping changes: for a period of years, Google must let Android users download rival app stores, allow those competing stores access to the Play Store’s catalog under reasonable security terms, and let developers use other billing systems and steer users to alternative ways to pay. A federal appeals court upheld the verdict and the injunction in 2025, and the parties later worked out the details of how Google would redesign its store practices to comply.

The upshot is a genuine opening of the Android app ecosystem, going further than the narrower changes forced on Apple.

What It Means

This is an antitrust case between companies, so there is no consumer payout to claim. Its practical effect reaches users through more competition: alternative app stores and payment options on Android could mean lower prices or more choice over time. Together with the Apple rulings and new laws abroad, it marks a broad shift toward prying open the tightly controlled app-store model that has defined smartphones.