Google has bribed several game and developer companies so that no app store can stand up to Google’s own Play Store. Just to prevent Activision Blizzard from building its own app store, Google paid the game maker $360 million over three years. Another game maker, Epic Games, made such a complaint.
Google did this to ensure that Activision’s app store does not compete with Google’s own app store, Epic claims. In 2020, Epic raised this allegation of unethical financial transactions in a case against Google. The matter came to light recently when the documents of the case became public. Epic accused Google of anti-competitive behavior in the mobile gaming sector.
In addition to Activision, several other gaming companies such as Nintendo, Riot Games and Ubisoft are accused by Epic Games of receiving financial benefits from Google.
However, Google claims that Epic misrepresented all of its complaints. All of the financial transactions with the 24 companies detailed in the lawsuit were spent to keep manufacturers happy.