Epic and Google Ordered to Engage in Settlement Discussions

A federal judge has directed Epic Games and Google to participate in settlement talks prior to the jury's decision in their ongoing antitrust lawsuit. The order, issued by Judge James Donato, came after Epic's lead attorney disclosed that the two companies had not previously attempted to resolve their dispute through formal negotiations. Epic has been asked to submit its demands by the end of the week, while Google must respond within 48 hours. The Fortnite developer has requested three key concessions, including the ability to operate its own app store on Android without restrictions and to use its own billing system for in-game transactions. The judge has suggested that a settlement agreement could facilitate these requests, citing a similar arrangement between Spotify and Google. A settlement conference will be held between the CEOs, lead attorneys, and other representatives of both companies before the jury delivers its verdict.