Google has reconciled with Epic Games—it is able to change the Google Play guidelines

The battle between Google and Epic Games, which has stretched over 5 years, might quickly come to an finish. The firms have reached a settlement settlement and at the moment are ready to see how the court docket will reply.

Under the phrases of the settlement, Google will make adjustments to its app retailer insurance policies and the Android ecosystem. Specifically, it has agreed to:

• simplify the set up of third-party shops just like the cellular Epic Games Store on Android units worldwide;
• enable builders to make use of various fee programs within the U.S. Google Play and inform customers about this. Google will proceed to cost a fee, however it will likely be decrease than the usual fee—not more than 9% or 20%, relying on the transaction sort and the date the app was put in.

The U.S. court docket had beforehand ordered Google to implement related adjustments, however there are nuances. The wording within the up to date insurance policies differs from that within the court docket rulings and contains extra particulars.

For instance, final week, the company, in compliance with a court docket ruling, opened U.S. Google Play to different fee programs, however didn’t specify the utmost fee fee. Previously, simplifying the set up of third-party shops was solely mandated within the U.S., not globally. Initially, these adjustments had been anticipated to be in impact till November 2027, however now Google is keen to increase them till 2032.

Epic Games, in flip, has withdrawn a few of its claims in opposition to Google. It not requests that Google share its app catalog with different shops and doesn’t object to the requirement for builders to help Google Play’s fee system choices of their apps when alternate options can be found.

The court docket is anticipated to evaluation the settlement settlement between Google and Epic Games on December 11.