FastSpring provided key evidence about alternative payment options in EPIC’s antitrust lawsuit against Google
December 12, 2023
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
FastSpring :
Santa Barbara, CA - December 12, 2023 - Overnight in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California a jury found that Google Play and Google Play Billing represent an illegal monopoly run by Google. Judge James Donato must still rule on what remedies Google must abide by in the case relative to Google Play, Google Play Billing and third-party payment providers. The ruling came as part of a case led by EPIC Games with support from FastSpring in an antitrust lawsuit against Google originally brought by 37 Attorneys General.
The suit was originally filed in 2021 by the state of Utah and signed on by 37 Attorneys General. The case alleged that Google holds an unfair monopoly on Android app distribution which created conditions that imposed unfair limits on competitive e-commerce platforms like FastSpring and Xsolla. The suit also alleged that Google forced phone manufacturers and carriers to enter agreements with Google Play to make the app the primary way to download apps on Android devices and make it difficult to download apps from third parties.
As part of the lawsuit, FastSpring CEO David Nachman provided substantial evidence derived from sales calls and proposal requests from a wide range of mobile game developers seeking payment and distribution solutions outside of the Google Play store from FastSpring.
“Game developers scored a major win today, and we suspect that win will have a huge impact on gamers across the industry once Judge Donato rules on the remedies Google must follow,” said Nachman. “FastSpring’s mission is to democratize global commerce for developers creating software, video games, and other digital products. This ruling supports that mission, and we’re ecstatic that game developers will have more choice in how they bring their games to market which will enable them to deliver better games and pricing for their players.”
FastSpring, founded in 2005, is an e-commerce platform that allows companies to sell video games, SaaS, software and digital products at a global scale. On top of providing an e-commerce platform for developers, FastSpring provides comprehensive global sales tax and VAT compliance support allowing developers to sell globally and stay focused on making great games.
“Mobile games are just one part of what we support, but they represent one of the most unfairly limited sections of the gaming industry,” said Nachman. “Mobile publishers deserve the right to choose their e-commerce platform, have direct relationships with their players, set their own terms and conditions, and negotiate fees. We pledge to continue supporting developers and gamers alike in the fight to democratize gaming.”
About Fast Spring
FastSpring powers global direct-to-consumer (D2C) payments for game studios and publishers. As a Merchant of Record, FastSpring provides a fully managed payment solution including checkout, fraud mitigation, and comprehensive sales tax and VAT compliance. With FastSpring, gaming businesses can level up quickly in the global market and do what they do best, build great games. Founded in 2005, FastSpring is a privately owned company headquartered in California with offices in the UK, Netherlands, and Canada. For more information, please visit https://fastspring.com/solutions/gaming.
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Emily Gogle
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