Epic Games Files Appeal in India to Promote Third-Party App Stores on Google Play

Epic Games alleges that Google is failing to adhere to the Competition Commission of India's ruling, which mandates the allowance of third-party stores on the Google Play platform. According to a recent report, Epic Games has filed an appeal with an Indian court, stating that it has been hindered by Google's non-compliance with the directive, as it seeks to launch its own store on Google Play in India. Epic's global public policy director, Bakari Middleton, expressed the company's intention to support the CCI's order, which requires Google to permit competing third-party app stores. In response, Google stated that it has submitted a compliance plan to the CCI and will continue to follow the legal process in India. This development comes after Google announced plans to update its policies in India, providing users with alternative billing options for in-app purchases on Google Play, following a previous fine of $113 million for restricting developers' use of third-party payment processing systems.