What you need to know
- Google and Epic are proposing a joint settlement that would resolve over five years of legal battles.
- The two companies' submitted the joint filing Tuesday, Nov. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
- The agreement requires court approval, but would bring sweeping changes to how Google operates the Play Store and distributes apps on Android.
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Google and Epic are jointly proposing a settlement that would resolve their legal battles regarding Play Store rules and transaction fees, as reported by Reuters. The two companies submitted the filing to U.S. District Judge James Donato, who oversaw a jury trial that ruled in favor of Epic in 2023. It requires Donato's court approval before taking effect.
If approved, the proposal would prevent Google from entering some exclusivity deals with developers, sharing revenue with competitors, or making agreements with OEMs and carriers regarding pre-installed app stores. The settlement also requires Google to adjust Android to make it easier for users to install third-party "Registered App Stores." This updated process would make the installation flow for these app stores simpler, reducing user friction.
Google and Epic have agreed on "neutral criteria" for the registration of third-party app stores, and tell the court the Registered App Stores policy would last until 2032. Donato's original injunction required a different solution for three years, but the two companies say the longer term is beneficial for consumers.
Google will still be allowed to charge transaction fees on the Play Store, but the proposal would limit fees to either 9% or 20%, depending on the transaction.
Donato already issued a permanent injunction requiring Play Store changes following Epic's victory in this lawsuit. This proposal from Epic and Google aims to modify the injunction, and the filing states that the original injunction includes language that states "Google or Epic may request a modification of the injunction for good cause."
For the proposal to be finalized, the court will have to approve it, and it would have to agree to not condition the preliminary approval of the Utah v. Google LLC settlement.
What Google and Epic are saying about the proposed settlement
Executives from Google and Epic took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the joint proposal, with leadership on both sides showing enthusiasm about the agreement.
"Together with Epic Games we have filed a proposed set of changes to Android and Google Play that focus on expanding developer choice and flexibility, lowering fees, and encouraging more competition all while keeping users safe," wrote Sameer Samat, who is Google's president of the Android ecosystem. "If approved, this would resolve our litigations."
Exciting news! Together with Epic Games we have filed a proposed set of changes to Android and Google Play that focus on expanding developer choice and flexibility, lowering fees, and encouraging more competition all while keeping users safe. If approved, this would resolve our…November 5, 2025
Epic's CEO Tim Sweeney said that the proposed settlement "genuinely doubles down on Android's original vision as an open platform." He also called out Apple, which Epic has also engaged in litigation with over app distribution rules.
This is a comprehensive solution, which stands in contrast to Apple’s model of blocking all competing stores and leaving payments as the only vector for competition.
Tim Sweeney
The next step for Epic and Google will be to discuss the proposed settlement with Judge Donato in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. You can read the full filing here (via Reuters).
