Epic Games says Google paid phone and game makers to avoid $1-billion app store hit

By Paresh Dave

(Reuters) - "Fortnite" developer Epic Games on Thursday unsealed details about contracts it alleges Alphabet Inc's Google signed with phone makers and other top video game companies to avoid losing $1.1 billion in annual app store profit.

Epic in 2018 launched "Fortnite" through its website and a partnership with handset maker Samsung Electronics Co, bypassing Google's Play Store, which charges developers fees of up to 30% of their sales.

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.

Epic Games says Google paid phone and game makers to avoid $1-billion app store hit

Related reading

Epic Games says Google paid phone and game makers to avoid $1-bln app store hit

Billionaire John Paulson Goes Big on These 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks

T-Mobile says hackers accessed data of another 5.3 million subscribers

LG Display says to invest $2.8 billion in small- to mid-size OLED facilities

Target clobbers Q2 earnings estimates, reveals new $15 billion stock buyback…

Macy's, Kohl's raise annual sales forecasts as shoppers return to stores