Google Loses US Appeal Over App Store Reforms in Epic Games Case
Google’s grip on the Play Store loosened Thursday as a US appeals panel refused to overturn a jury verdict demanding the tech giant overhaul its app marketplace. The decision slams the door on Google’s attempt to escape a federal court order forcing changes to its Play Store practices.
Google’s antitrust defense just crumbled. A unanimous ruling from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco shot down the tech giant’s claims of legal errors in the “Fortnite” maker Epic Games’ 2020 lawsuit. The game is on.
A damning verdict: “Google’s own actions cemented its market grip,” declared Judge M. Margaret McKeown, with Judges Danielle Forrest and Gabriel Sanchez concurring, highlighting a lawsuit brimming with evidence of anticompetitive tactics.
For Google, the legal walls are closing in. Fresh off one courtroom setback, the tech behemoth now juggles a multi-front legal war, spearheaded by the US Justice Department’s antitrust case and a slew of other lawsuits alleging anticompetitive practices.
In a landmark battle, Epic Games accused Google of erecting a digital fortress around Android apps, controlling how users download them and pay within. In 2023, Epic, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, scored a major victory when a San Francisco jury agreed: Google’s iron grip illegally choked competition.
A San Francisco courtroom delivered a blow to Google’s Play Store dominance. Judge James Donato mandated sweeping changes, ordering Google to unlock its platform. Imagine a Play Store where you can download alternative app marketplaces, and where those competitors can access Google’s expansive app library. This isn’t just a tweak; it’s a seismic shift aimed at leveling the playing field and fostering true competition in the Android app ecosystem.
Donato’s fate hung in the balance, a legal cliffhanger hinging on the 9th Circuit’s looming judgment. But even then, the curtain wouldn’t fall. The possibility of a full 9th Circuit review, and the ultimate legal showdown at the Supreme Court, meant Donato’s story was far from over.
Google warns a recent court ruling threatens to unravel Android’s core principles: user safety, freedom of choice, and the relentless innovation consumers have come to expect. Lee-Anne Mulholland, VP of Regulatory Affairs, paints a grim picture, suggesting the decision could stifle the open-source spirit that defines the platform and ultimately leave users vulnerable and with fewer options.
The company said it would continue to focus on “ensuring a secure platform as we continue our appeal.”
“BREAKING: Epic Games Store FINALLY Hits Google Play! CEO Tim Sweeney just dropped a bombshell, announcing the Android version of the EGS is coming to the Play Store, thanks to a recent legal victory!”
Google argues its Play Store battles Apple’s App Store head-to-head, a key point Judge Donato allegedly blocked them from raising in the Epic Games antitrust showdown. This suppression, Google claims, unfairly crippled their defense against Epic’s allegations.
The tech giant insisted the courtroom drama never should have unfolded before a jury at all. Epic wasn’t after financial compensation; it sought to fundamentally alter Google’s business practices, a decision that traditionally rests solely with a judge’s gavel, not the collective deliberation of jurors.
The appeals court panel said Donato “conducted extensive proceedings before issuing the injunction and the accompanying order.”
Epic Games isn’t backing down. They’re telling the 9th Circuit, “For almost a decade, the Android app marketplace has been a battlefield marred by anticompetitive tactics.” They’re standing firm on the original verdict and court injunction, suggesting the fight for fair play in the app world is far from over.
Epic battled Google in court, vehemently contesting claims that mandated changes to its app practices would jeopardize user privacy and security.
Microsoft filed a brief backing Epic, as did the US Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission.
Epic Games wages war on two fronts: one against Apple, stemming from a U.S. judge’s ruling that seeks to unshackle developers from the App Store’s iron grip, granting them the right to guide users to alternative, commission-free purchasing avenues.
Apple has appealed a ruling that said it violated a prior injunction in a lawsuit that Epic filed in 2020.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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