Google has reconciled with Epic Games—it is ready to change the Google Play rules
The conflict between Google and Epic Games, which has stretched over five years, may soon come to an end. The companies have reached a settlement agreement and are now waiting to see how the court will respond.
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Under the terms of the agreement, Google will make changes to its app store policies and the Android ecosystem. Specifically, it has agreed to:
- simplify the installation of third-party stores like the mobile Epic Games Store on Android devices worldwide;
- allow developers to use alternative payment systems in the U.S. Google Play and inform users about this. Google will continue to charge a commission, but it will be lower than the standard rate—no more than 9% or 20%, depending on the transaction type and the date the app was installed.
The U.S. court had previously ordered Google to implement similar changes, but there are nuances. The wording in the updated policies differs from that in the court rulings and includes additional details.
For example, last week, the corporation, in compliance with a court ruling, opened U.S. Google Play to other payment systems, but did not specify the maximum commission rate. Previously, simplifying the installation of third-party stores was only mandated in the U.S., not globally. Initially, these changes were expected to be in effect until November 2027, but now Google is willing to extend them until 2032.
Epic Games, in turn, has withdrawn some of its claims against Google. It no longer requests that Google share its app catalog with other stores and does not object to the requirement for developers to support Google Play's payment system options in their apps when alternatives are available.
The court is expected to review the settlement agreement between Google and Epic Games on December 11.