एपिक गेम्स का कहना है कि Google ने $ 1 बिलियन ऐप स्टोर हिट से बचने के लिए फोन और गेम निर्माताओं को भुगतान किया

“फोर्टनाइट” डेवलपर एपिक गेम्स ने गुरुवार को अनुबंधों के बारे में विवरण को अनसील कर दिया, जिसमें आरोप लगाया गया कि अल्फाबेट इंक के Google ने फोन निर्माताओं और अन्य शीर्ष वीडियो गेम कंपनियों के साथ वार्षिक ऐप स्टोर लाभ में $ 1.1 बिलियन के नुकसान से बचने के लिए हस्ताक्षर किए।

एपिक ने 2018 में अपनी वेबसाइट के माध्यम से “फोर्टनाइट” लॉन्च किया और हैंडसेट निर्माता सैमसंग इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स कंपनी (005930.KS) के साथ साझेदारी की, Google के प्ले स्टोर को दरकिनार कर दिया, जो डेवलपर्स से उनकी बिक्री का 30% तक शुल्क लेता है।

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Google feared other companies copying Epic and blocked that possibility by erecting unlawful hurdles, Epic alleged in an antitrust lawsuit filed against Google last year.

Google said the lawsuit remains baseless and mischaracterizes business conversations. A trial has not been scheduled.

Among new details a judge ordered be unredacted, Google in 2019 estimated up to $6 billion in Play revenue and $1.1 billion in profit would be at risk in 2022 alone if Epic’s approach spread and alternative stores found success, according to the lawsuit.

But Google avoided the feared hit.

In 2019, it launched “Premier Device Program” to pay phone makers to ensure the Play Store’s exclusivity and limit the appeal of partnerships similar to what Epic had reached with Samsung, according to the newly released details.

Premier partners received 12% of Google’s search revenues from their phones, compared with 8% traditionally, according to the filing. Some partners, including LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS) and Lenovo Group’s Motorola (0992.HK), also received 3% to 6% of Google “Play spend.”

Separately, Google in 2019 as part of an effort dubbed “Project Hug” approved spending “hundreds of millions of dollars” on over 20 top developers in marketing and other benefits to keep them on the Play Store, according to the details. The “vast majority” accepted Google’s offer by December 2020.

According to the lawsuit, Google internally called the new deals a success in stopping a “contagion” of developers sidestepping the Play Store.

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