Google administrator defended its internal campaign “ Project Hug , ” which enticed20 developersto not create app stores competitive with Google Play allot to Epic Games , in an ongoing trial Thursday .
Purnima Kochikar , Google ’s vice chairwoman of gambling , took the stand Thursday to defend why Project Hug was n’t a bribe in the trial ofEpic Games v. Googlewhere the lookup giant is being sued for anti - competitive practices on its app computer memory . Kochikar says “ carbon monoxide gas - marketing ” and “ advertising credits ” are not the same as a payoff , and specifically orient to a 2019 intro saying Project Hug “ is not an exclusivity computer programme , ” according to live reporting fromThe Verge .
Google targeted the following22 developerswith Project Hug deals in 2019 : Activision , Aniplex , Bandai Namco , Bethesda , Blizzard , Com2uS , EA , King , Mixl , Niantic , NCSoft , NetMarble , NetEase , Nexon , Nintendo , Pearl Abyss , The Pokemon Company , Riot , Square Enix , Supercell , Tencent , Ubisoft .
Image: Pryimak Anastasiia (Getty Images)
A late papers revealed that 20 of the companies sign . Google boasted internally about steering Riot Games away from set in motion an in - house app memory with $ 10 million of marketing , harmonize to written document give away in the example Thursday .
“ We rive all stops ( promised them $ 10 M selling before they signed GVP for example ) to get Riot to stop their inhouse ‘ app fund ’ effort and bring their billion dollar League of Legends franchise and other nomadic game to Play ( they were most likely to follow Epic ’s example ) ” said Kochikar in an interior written document .
Google confirmed Wednesday that Fortnite publisher Epic Games was offered$147 millionto launch its game on the Google Play Store . Epic rejected the offer , which move a affright at Google . The caller feared a “ contagion peril ” that other popular apps would bypass the Google Play store and its lucrative in - app purchase fees .
“ Of course not , ” said Kochikar when need if Google was seek to bribe Epic Games with the deal Thursday . Epic wee-wee the case that Google was absolutely trying to get developers to be on its app store using monopolistic tendencies .
“ Google arrange software downloadable outdoors of Google Play at a disadvantage , ” say Epic in2020 . The developer says the fellowship apply “ scary , repetitive security pop - ups ” on content get outside its app storage . Fortnite was ultimately booted off the Google Play store subsequently that year for not giving a cutting of in - app purchase to Google . The booting prompted the very cause we see playing out today .
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