Epic Games has submitted its proposed injunction regarding how Google can change the Play Store to be more competitive. This measure is part of the court proceedings between the two companies, with a jury having recently ruled that Google’s Play Store practices are anticompetitive. The injunction suggests that Google should not have any rules against allowing third-party apps and stores on its devices and should be more permissive with app purchasing options.
In the full injunction, Epic goes into more detail about what it expects from Google in order to comply with its propositions. For example, it specifically says that it expects Google not to offer any exclusivity contracts that would incentivize developers to put their apps on the Play Store over third-party stores, and it cannot put in any obstacles, such as “scare screens” or “dire warnings” in place to deter customers from installing apps from said stores.
It also details ways that Google can offer more options for in-app purchases to users, including not hiding the fact that such options exist. Epic also expects Google to form a Compliance Committee and appoint a Compliance Officer in order to follow the court’s ruling. As a final part of the injunction, Epic requests that it be permitted to bring the Epic Games Store to Android devices without interference or retaliation from Google.
A lot of the proposals in the injunction line up with Epic’s stance that mobile game stores should offer more options for game publishers and developers. As part of its legal cases against both Apple and Google, Epic has maintained that the device companies have maintained illegally tight control on their app stores and the 30% pay cut they take from all purchases made through it. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has accused both companies of “malicious compliance” with laws that limit anticompetitive practices, like the European Digital Markets Act.