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Sweeney’s more than two-hour stint on the witness stand in San Francisco came less than a week after Google CEO Sundar Pichai defended before the 10-member jury the way his company runs its Play Store for Android apps. It’s one of two antitrust cases against Google, whose tech empire valued at $1.7 trillion is being threatened by legal attacks seeking to break it up.

Testimony in the Android phone app case is scheduled to finish before Christmas.

The other case, focused on Google’s dominant search engine, ended last week, but won’t be decided by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., until next year.

While Sweeney sought to depict Google as a greedy monopolist under questioning by his own lawyer, Google attorney Jonathan Kravis tried to flip the script. Much of Kravis’ his cross-examination appeared design to cast Sweeney as an executive primarily interested in bypassing a long-standing commission system to boost his video game company’s profits.

Epic, the maker of the popular Fortnite game, alleges that Google has been engaged in illegal price-gouging by collecting commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on in-app digital transactions. It’s similar to a payment system that Epic unsuccessfully challenged in a parallel lawsuit filed against Apple’s iPhone app store. Epic is appealing the outcome of the Apple trial to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Unlike Apple’s iPhone app store, Google already allows competition to the Play Store — something that Epic tried to do when it decided to roll out Fortnite for Android phones in 2018 on its own website instead of the Play Store.

In his Monday testimony, Sweeney recalled how Google called him into its Mountain View, California, headquarters to try to persuade Epic to release Fortnite in the Play Store instead. Sweeney said Google tried to entice him with a wide range of financial incentives, which he rejected.

“It seemed like a crooked arrangement,” Sweeney told the jury. “Google was proposing a series of side deals, which seemed designed to convince Epic not to compete against them.”

Sweeney’s appearance came after Epic’s lawyers had previously displayed Google documents showing Google had offered video game maker Activision Blizzard a package valued at $360 million to drop a tentative plan to compete against the Play Store.

Google’s lawyers presented other documents that outlined the deal would bring more than $315 million in benefits to Activision.

After rejecting Google’s overtures, Epic tried to distribute Fortnite for Android through its own website. But Sweeney testified that effort quickly turned into “a depressing process” because far fewer game players downloaded Fortnite for Android phones than anticipated. He attributed the disappointing response to Google machinations that made it a cumbersome process to do outside the Play Store and the use of pop-up “scare screens” warning of potential problems with the software.

“We realized Google was a difficult adversary and had the ability obstruct us,” Sweeney said.

Epic eventually released Fortnite in the Play Store in 2020 while it was hatching a secret plan to eventually circumvent the commission system by covertly slipping in an alternate payment option as part of what Sweeney dubbed “Project Liberty.”

The alternative payment option was released in August 2020 in revised Fortnite apps for both the Play Store and the iPhone app store, prompting both Apple and Google to block it within a few hours. Epic then filed antitrust lawsuits as part of what Sweeney framed as a crusade on behalf of all game makers as more play occurs on smartphones instead of consoles and PCs.

“It’s an issue I see as existential to all games, including Epic,” Sweeney said.

During his questioning of Sweeney, Google lawyer Kravis laid out the 30% commissions that Epic pays to Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for transactions on the PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles without complaint while still raking in billions of dollars in profit from those platforms.

In response to a question submitted by a juror, Sweeney disclosed that video game consoles and personal computers generated more than 90% of Epic’s revenue from in-app purchases during the period in 2020 when Fortnite was also in the iPhone app store and the Play Store.

Sweeney didn’t say why Epic hasn’t mounted a challenge to the 30% commissions charge on other game-playing devices besides smartphones, but he left no doubt about his goal in this trial.

“We want the jury to find Google has violated the law so the court can force Google to stop these practices,” Sweeney said.

Google is ‘crooked’ and a bully, CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games testifies in Play Store trial

Epic alleges that Google has been engaged in illegal price-gouging by collecting commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on in-app digital transactions.

fortune.com

 

[tommib]

Everyone's a bully except the CCP, right Sweeney?

 

[Lupin3]

While Sweeney sought to depict Google as a greedy monopolist

He can do that. Because he doesn't pay millions for games to be EGS excluwaaaaaait a minute...

 

[Red5]

"Project Liberty" what a delusional self fellating blowhard.

 

[Bojanglez]

At least on Android they can release their own store and their games via other stores, so I see no massive problem in that respect.

The problem Google may have with regulators is the tactics they use to maintain a dominance on Android devices with deals they make with manufacturers. I know much of the ecosystem does rely on Google Play Services and their own popular apps won't work without it. I'm not sure how aggressive they are in that respect, but it's probably where people world have most success in going after them.

 

[pqueue]

epic continues to bleed money, and at some point the Chinese backstop is going to disappear.

 

[BWJinxing]

Epic money hats games away from other platforms, not a bully?

Say epic won this lawsuit.

Outside of PayPal, Google, and steam, there is no other payment I would trust I'd save my payment with. I try in use virtual number where I can

Given Epic 's shortcut tactics to being a digital storefront, how do I know their backend isn't the next PSN hack.

That's going to fragment security down the line. Imagine all those dodgey mobile games, bypassing the play api, especially if you saved a card, because you agreed to a tos that let them auto bill for in app content.

 

[mrMUR_96]

Google literally allows you to install apps outside of the store or use different stores. They have no argument here.

 

[Krappadizzle]

 

[Hugare]

I dont think that there's someone on this industry that I despise as much as I do Sweeney

Maybe Konami, but that's a whole company and not one individual

 

[Bernoulli]

I'm with Tim
Fuck Google Apple and Microsoft

 

[LazyParrot]

Tim doesn't actually think that what Google and Apple are doing is bad, he's just pissed that he can't do it himself.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Very generous of him to say they're crooked. There are other terms more appropriate but maybe not very flattering.

 

[Whitecrow]

Are we now acting like if google were not the most greedy bastards around here?
After the Firefox youtube slowdown? After the ads situation?

Epic may 'bully' google, but you know? Google bullies it's consumers. Yet you defend Google instead of Epic wich did nothing to us, besides moneyhatting games to use it's store, which means nothing, unless you think you're entitled to have all your games in the store of your choice.

 

[Bernoulli]

Are we now acting like if google were not the most greedy bastards around here?
After the Firefox youtube slowdown? After the ads situation?

Epic may 'bully' google, but you know? Google bullies it's consumers. Yet you defend Google instead of Epic wich did nothing to us, besides moneyhatting games to use it's store, which means nothing, unless you think you're entitled to have all your games in the store of your choice.

For some reason they are triggered by epic
saying they are chinese or other BS

If Tim cared about the money he would put Fortnite on the playstore and apple store and still get 70% of the revenue, I'm happy he is fighting for sideloading and this personal for him

And these haters are the same that say apple and google deserve their private store because they paid/invested for it
Then cry about epic exclusivity when it chnages nothing you still play your game on PC

 

[calistan]

"Project Liberty" what a delusional self fellating blowhard.

Project Nobody Trusts Us Not To Riddle Their Devices With Malware, So We're Going To Set Up Our Own Hidden Store Inside Your Store And Keep All The Money.

 

[Alexios]

Use the title because everyone hates the name already?

 

[Robb]

So essentially they did bypass the PlayStore but realized no cares about them if they’re not on the PlayStore.. So they chose to opt in anyway in order to gain more users/exposure/advertisement benefits etc. etc.. And now they don’t want to pay for using it?

 

[Barakov]

Google is ‘crooked’ and a bully, CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games testifies in Play Store trial

Epic alleges that Google has been engaged in illegal price-gouging by collecting commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on in-app digital transactions.

fortune.com

Sounds like a MEGA CORPORATION.

 

[Hudo]

I mean, fuck Tim and Epic.

But fuck Google even more.

 

[ScHlAuChi]

Some people here are so blinded by their hate for Sweeney that they cant even admit that he is 100% right here.

 

[mansoor1980]

did he stutter while delivering his speech in court?

 

[Zathalus]

Epic sucks. Google sucks even more.

 

[VAVA Mk2]

Even if true, Tim Sweeney is still a cuck.

 

[MMaRsu]

Fuck off Tim Sweeney, you hypocritical cunt.

 

[StereoVsn]

Some people here are so blinded by their hate for Sweeney that they cant even admit that he is 100% right here.

I am not a fan of Google, but Google already allows side loading. Timmy wants free access to Play Store with his own payment processor which will inundate that with all kinds of shady shit, even more then we have now.

Google should certainly be hit with antitrust for other things, but not this particular bit. I don’t think we want Tencent payment processing inside Google Play Store as one example.

 

[Pelta88]

Why is this billionaire always crying?

 

[Thirty7ven]

I do think that in a system like Android and the Playstore, it makes little sense for devs to pay Google 30% on MTX.

 

[systemr123]

Google literally allows you to install apps outside of the store or use different stores. They have no argument here.

Yes they do because they offered the outside solution and apparently for some reason much less gamers downloaded the game than if it was on the Play store, oh wait .

So wait a second… more players download the game when it’s promoted on the play store than having to download it from an external place, how weird?

Omg this Epic case is so stupid. They don’t want to pay Google so they offer an alternative. Alternative didn’t make enough downloads and money. Now sue Google because somehow it’s Googles fault that Epic can’t seem to sell their own game from their own platform

 

[LordCBH]

Jesus Tom Sweeney is a little shit lol.

 

[mrMUR_96]

Are we now acting like if google were not the most greedy bastards around here?
After the Firefox youtube slowdown? After the ads situation?

Epic may 'bully' google, but you know? Google bullies it's consumers. Yet you defend Google instead of Epic wich did nothing to us, besides moneyhatting games to use it's store, which means nothing, unless you think you're entitled to have all your games in the store of your choice.

I'm pretty sure that title belongs to Apple actually. Personal views on companies is irrelevant in this case anyways. 30% charge is standard amongst IOS, Xbox and Playstation. Google at least allow other stores to be used on android and even downloading the app directly from the developer if they list it. How is it Google's fault that Fortnite wasn't getting enough downloads outside of the play store, when they seem perfectly ok with paying the 30% on xbox and playstation that don't offer any other option for installs.

 

[ScHlAuChi]

I am not a fan of Google, but Google already allows side loading. Timmy wants free access to Play Store with his own payment processor which will inundate that with all kinds of shady shit, even more then we have now.
Google should certainly be hit with antitrust for other things, but not this particular bit. I don’t think we want Tencent payment processing inside Google Play Store as one example.

If Tencent´s payment processing is cheaper, then I´m all for it!
Not because I would use that, but it forces Google to lower the price too.

 

[Kataploom]

How can two competing companies in the same market, using same type product/service and for the same audience be monopolies at the same time? Ffs Tim make some sense

 

[brian0057]

 

[hououinkyouma00]

It’s funny. I don’t have any sort of platform bias outside of most of my games being on steam so steam is easier.

But Tim Sweeney is such a whiny little shady cunt that I will literally never use their platform

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Tim Sweeney is literally Godzilla and you still have some Japanese natives cheering for Rodan, Mechagodzilla, and Mothra.

 

[Braag]

This guy's always whining about unfair competition while paying 3rd party devs to wall their games behind his launcher.

 

[Sushi_Combo]

Some people here are so blinded by their hate for Sweeney that they cant even admit that he is 100% right here.

Right. Then he goes and pays 3rd party devs to launch exclusively on their launcher.

 

[Whitecrow]

I'm pretty sure that title belongs to Apple actually. Personal views on companies is irrelevant in this case anyways. 30% charge is standard amongst IOS, Xbox and Playstation. Google at least allow other stores to be used on android and even downloading the app directly from the developer if they list it. How is it Google's fault that Fortnite wasn't getting enough downloads outside of the play store, when they seem perfectly ok with paying the 30% on xbox and playstation that don't offer any other option for installs.

I was mostly speaking about the "Epic = Devil because yes (or because it wants money)" narrative.

I dont care much about this particular case, but I'm kinda sick of people hating on companies and business just because they want our money and need to feel some kind of moral superiority.

 

[hlm666]

Why would you fuck around like this for 2 platforms that apparently only account for 10% of your revenue??? Either he's plowing the way for tencent so they can keep an extra 30% of their mobile games or he has his eye's on a bigger prize if he can convert this. Lawyer asks why he doesn't go after sony/ms/tendo and his answer is well they're our biggest revenue source. So reading between the lines it's basically we don't want to blow up our major revenue so we will gamble 10% and if that pays off we might be able to push for the rest later with precedent set.

 

[ScHlAuChi]

Right. Then he goes and pays 3rd party devs to launch exclusively on their launcher.

Im a 3rd party dev too - If he pays me more money I´m all for it!
Capitalism ho!

 

[StereoVsn]

If Tencent´s payment processing is cheaper, then I´m all for it!
Not because I would use that, but it forces Google to lower the price too.

Yes, what we really need in Google Store is CCP affiliated payment processor.

But hell, it won’t stop with Tencent, you will have all kinds of shady vendors in there. Frankly it’s stupid and madness.

Google allows 3rd party stores. Use their 3rd party stores if you don’t like Google Play. That one has bunch of trash loaded with malware already and Google is playing whack a mole with their daily.

 

[Sushi_Combo]

Im a 3rd party dev too - If he pays me more money I´m all for it!
Capitalism ho!

Unregulated capitalism is bad.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Love the over reliance on the accusation that someone is a “bully.”

Nut up, come back with a better argument.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

Not a big Google fan, but Fortnite calling anyone evil is a laugh. Their whole business subsists on plugging the minds of adolescents into a braindead F2P hellscape that has them paying with a parent's card every few months to get the latest superhero skin or avoid FOMO on another "season" of the same crap. Objectively evil company with nothing to contribute to the world.

 

[ScHlAuChi]

Unregulated capitalism is bad.

That is exactly the point!
Why do you think the EU has created the DMA and DSA?
Because all those tech giants were unregulated far too long.
They used their dominance to stifle the competiton!

 

[kyussman]

"Crooked bully"........lol,like every big tech company then.

 

[NinjaMouse]

I’d like to know how much in potential profit they’ve given up while fighting these nonsense lawsuits.

 

[Robb]

I’d like to know how much in potential profit they’ve given up while fighting these nonsense lawsuits.

Just buy more V-Bucks to fill the void.

 

[Skifi28]

I didn't know we could testify our feelings in court.