This is an accusation that Google would have done without. A new document unearthed by Reuters points to potentially anti-competitive practices that Google would have engaged in to preserve the monopoly of its Play Store. Practices that would also splash Activision / Blizzard.
The “Project Hug” scrutinized very closely
The internet giant is currently on trial against Epic Games (the studio behind Fortnite) who saw his game kicked out of the Play Store after trying to impose his in-house payment method, while all transactions must normally go through the Play Store, and thus earn a commission to Google in the process. If the case reminds you of something, it’s perfectly normal since it’s exactly the same that pitted Epic Games against Apple in 2020. The studio had attacked the two mobile giants, but the case against Google has less talk about her.
This could well change since, according to information obtained by Reuters, Epic Games accuses Google of having paid no less than 360 million dollars to Activision / Blizzard to dissuade it from opening its own application store on Android. A similar agreement would also have been made with Nintendo and Riot Games to prevent League of Legends to leave on an alternative platform. These agreements would have, according to Epic, been part of a more global strategy dubbed “Project Hug”. The program, which does exist, wanted to encourage developers to stay on the Play Store, as Google fears losing billions of dollars if major studios start leaving the platform.
This is not the first time that Epic has accused Google of resorting to such practices. In 2021, the studio was already referring to Project Hug, ensuring this time that Google had gone to see Android smartphone manufacturers to ensure that they did not intend to offer alternative app installation methods to the Play Store. on their mobile ranges.
Accusations that have “any sense“
“Google has never pressured or asked us not to compete with the Play Store. Epic Games’ accusations make no sense” defended Activision Blizzard. For its part, Google explains that “Programs such as Project Hug incentivize developers to grant benefits and early access to Play Store users when they release new content or updates; they do not prevent developers from creating competing app stores, as Epic falsely claims.“
There is no doubt that the charges against Google will still be scrutinized very closely by lawmakers around the world, as Google’s dominance in the mobile market is already the subject of numerous legal proceedings.