Two rivals who fought for years are suddenly best friends. Sounds fishy, right?
A U.S. judge thinks so too.
Epic and Google showed up with a shiny plan to end their long courtroom battle and call it peace. The deal? Google would lower its app store fees, nine or twenty percent, depending on how and when you install an app. Developers could set their own prices, use other payment systems, even run their own app stores. Sounds great on paper.
But Judge James Donato, who’s been watching this circus since 2020, didn’t buy it.
“The only thing that’s changed,” he said, “is that Epic and Google, two mortal enemies who beat each other up for years in this courtroom, are suddenly BFFs.”
He’s not convinced the market or Google’s behavior has actually changed. And he’s definitely not signing off on a deal done “in the dark.” Both companies wanted to keep the full details secret. Donato refused.
There’ll be another hearing in December or January. Until then, we’ll see if this is a real turning point or just two giants cutting a convenient truce.
Meanwhile, Google can’t force U.S. developers to use its billing system anymore. And Epic’s Tim Sweeney? He called the deal “awesome.” Of course he did.
Because nothing says “open and fair competition” like making peace with the monopoly you once swore to destroy.
