Epic Games is scoring points in its high-stakes antitrust lawsuit against Google. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just turned down Google’s appeal, providing Epic with a huge upper hand. The challenge, originally filed in 2020, zeroes in on the claim that Google engaged in anti-competitive conduct to suppress competition in the app store marketplace.
In 2023, an Iowa jury returned a landmark verdict. The lawsuit, brought by Epic Games, ruled in their favor, finding that Google had indeed illegally suppressed competition through underhanded means. This ruling shone a spotlight on the still-lingering debates in the public and private sectors about tech monopolies’ abuse of power and market dominance. Epic Games argued that Google’s actions directly hurt developers and consumers, reducing options and innovation.
Google’s Position As the defendant, Google claimed that legal standards were not properly interpreted or applied by the trial judge during the entire trial process. The tech giant’s lawyers argued that these blunders created an enormous advantage for Epic Games throughout the trial. The appellate court found no merit in Google’s arguments, effectively upholding the jury’s decision.
The lawsuit was filed in the context of increased scrutiny of big tech and their monopolistic control over digital marketplaces. Epic Games sought to challenge what it viewed as monopolistic behavior by Google, which it claimed unfairly limited access to its Play Store. This legal fight is a part and parcel with larger focus on anticompetitive practices in the technology industry.
By rejecting Google’s appeal, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reinforced the jury’s ruling and signaled a willingness to confront anti-competitive practices. The court’s ruling may set an important precedent for similar cases in the future against other tech giants. This decision could influence how app marketplaces function in the future.