Epic Declares 'Total Victory' as Google Ordered to Open Play Store to Rivals

A U.S. appeals court has upheld a landmark verdict against Google, affirming that the company illegally monopolized the Android app market. The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a major victory for Epic Games and stands in sharp contrast to the outcome of Epic's similar legal battle with Apple.

The Ninth Circuit's decision, filed July 31, 2025, affirms a December 2023 jury verdict that found Google had violated federal and state antitrust laws. The jury had concluded that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in the markets for Android app distribution and in-app billing services through a series of anticompetitive agreements and practices.

A key part of Google's appeal argued that a prior ruling in the Epic v. Apple case should have prevented Epic from defining the market differently in its suit against Google. The Ninth Circuit rejected this argument, highlighting the significant differences between the two ecosystems. The court noted that Apple's closed "walled garden" is "markedly different from Google's 'open distribution' approach." The original Epic v. Apple case, which largely sided with Apple, was denied an appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.


The ruling upholds a three-year injunction that requires Google to make significant changes to its Play Store policies. These changes include allowing third-party app stores to be distributed through the Play Store, permitting them to access the Play Store's app catalog, and letting developers offer alternative billing systems to users.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the news on X, calling it a "Total victory." Sweeney also announced that, as a result of the verdict, the Epic Games Store for Android will now be coming to the Google Play Store. He noted that the company's PC store already carries other storefronts like itch.io and GOG Galaxy.

This outcome is particularly notable for Apple's ecosystem, as Apple continues to face its own legal challenges. A federal judge recently found Apple in "willful violation" of the injunction from its own case with Epic. Apple's attempts to comply with that order were deemed insufficient, leading to stricter permanent restrictions. The Ninth Circuit also recently denied Apple's request to pause those new restrictions while it pursues an appeal.

Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for more updates.