Epic Games has now targeted Google for not complying with some portions of the directive that asked the technology giant to allow hosting third-party app stores on Google Play store. Citing a copy of Epic’s February 9 filing to CCI, news agency Reuters has reported that the game publisher has claimed that the company is not allowing its app store on Google Play. This process, called sideloading, allows apps to be downloaded freely without using the Play Store.
It is to be noted that last month, Google was told to allow sideloading, following which, the company said it will make changes to its Android business model. The changes included stopping its practice of forcing device makers to pre-install a bouquet of Google apps such as YouTube or Chrome.
Here’s what Epic Games has to say
Epic Games makes the popular video game “Fortnite” and operates its own app store that offers games and other apps for download. “We are seeking to join Indian developers in court to support the CCI’s order that requires Google to allow competing third-party app stores,” Bakari Middleton, Director of Global Public Policy at Epic Games, was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Google said that it has submitted its “compliance plan to the CCI and continues to respectfully follow the legal process in India.”
Epic Games, Google battle
Epic Games and Google have been in disagreement since 2020. Fortnite was removed from both Apple App Store and Google Play store in August 2020 after it introduced its own billing system. Both Google and Apple get up to 30% cut from the revenue generated from app stores as well as in-app purchases. To evade paying this cut, Epic Games started its own in-app payment scheme in Fortnite, essentially violating Apple and Google’s app store guidelines. The two companies saw this as a gross violation of their app store policy.
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