Google allegedly paid Activision Blizzard & Riot Games to avoid rival app store launch: Epic Games

November 18, 2022 By Prelo Con

(Image Credit Google)

Epic Games Inc. claims that Google paid Activision Blizzard Inc. and Riot Games to refrain from establishing their own rival app shops and forbade developers from creating Android applications outside of the Google Play Store. Since 2020, the developers of Fortnite have been engaged in a contentious debate regarding unfair business tactics in their app store. Epic Game Inc. acknowledged this in a court filing that Google reportedly paid Activision Blizzard Inc. and Riot Games to keep them from launching their own app marketplaces. Despite having intentions to open its own app store, Activision received a total of $360 million as part of the agreement, according to Reuters. While Google gave Tencent Holdings Ltd. $30 million for Riot Games. [caption id="attachment_60508" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Activision Blizzard Acquisitionq

Image credit: thehindu[/caption] According to the complaint from Epic Games, "Google realised that its deal with ABK practically insured that ABK would abandon its ambitions to build a competing app store, and Google wanted this result." The creator of Fortnite also stated in the court documents that Google also inked agreements with the makers of the apps Calm for meditation and Age of Learning for education. Epic Games is highly confident in its claims, but Google refutes them and says that these agreements do not prevent game developers from opening their own app stores. According to a Google spokesperson, Epic has been understanding business talks incorrectly. The initiative known as "Project Hug," which is connected to the agreements cited by Epic Games, enables developers to reward Google Play users and get them early access to new application content. CEO of Microsoft Gaming Is Still Positive About Activision Purchase of Blizzard King

CEO of Microsoft Gaming Is Still Positive About Activision Purchase of Blizzard King

Activision Blizzard, meanwhile, argued that Epic Games' assertions were absurd. According to a Bloomberg article, the business denied ever receiving a request from Google to stop competing with their app store and that no such agreements existed. They said, "We've provided documentation and evidence that proves this. Riot is currently studying the filing as well, but it made no comments on the allegations. According to the corporation, this programme shows that Google Play has fairly competed with its rivals for developers. Additionally, the application is free, and developers are free to use it or not as mentioned in the terms and conditions of the programme

By Prelo Con

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Google allegedly paid Activision Blizzard & Riot Games to avoid rival app store launch: Epic Games

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