Google's request for a stay of execution in its lawsuit against Epic Games has been rejected, forcing it to broadly allow external payments by October 2025.



Epic Games is suing Google and Apple in an attempt to introduce its own payment method without relying on fees from Google Play or the App Store. In the Google vs. Epic Games lawsuit, Epic Games' lawsuit was upheld in the first instance ruling in 2023, and Google lost the appeal in July 2025. However, Google requested a partial stay of enforcement before appealing to the Supreme Court. As a result, the request was rejected, and Google must take measures to widely recognize its own payment method by the end of October 2025.

The Supreme Court didn't save Google from Epic, and now the clock is ticking | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/793610/google-epic-android-supreme-court-stay-denied



US Supreme Court allows order forcing Google to make app store reforms | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-supreme-court-allows-order-forcing-google-make-app-store-reforms-2025-10-06/

Apple and Google charge a 15-30% commission on app purchases and in-app purchases made through their app stores. In response to this, Epic Games introduced its own payment method for the mobile version of its popular game ' Fortnite ' in August 2020, bypassing the App Store. Apple and Google deemed this a violation of their terms of service and removed the Fortnite mobile app from their App Stores. Dissatisfied with this, Epic Games sued Google, and in December 2023, the court ruled in favor of Epic Games, finding that 'Google had created an anti-competitive market through its App Store.'

California court rules in favor of Epic Games in antitrust lawsuit against Google - GIGAZINE



Google appealed the ruling, but in July 2025, a three-judge panel of appeals unanimously upheld the first-instance ruling that 'Google's app store and payment system constitute an illegal monopoly,' dismissing Google's appeal. As a result of the trial, Google was ordered to allow 'third-party app stores' to distribute on Google Play.

Google loses appeal against Epic Games, allowing Epic Games Store to appear on Google Play - GIGAZINE



The trial court ordered Google to comply with the orders for three years, from November 1, 2024 to November 1, 2027, including allowing third-party app stores competing with Google Play to distribute apps within Google Play, providing third-party app stores with the full catalog of Google Play apps, and allowing developers distributing apps on Google Play to use their own payment services. Google appealed these orders, arguing that they 'endanger consumer privacy and security and cause various unintended consequences that harm consumers, developers, and device manufacturers,' and the court granted a stay of the orders.

Google v. Epic Games ruling results in 'third-party app stores' being allowed to distribute on Google Play, Google requests suspension of order - GIGAZINE



The order was suspended until the Court of Appeals considered the appropriateness of the order and Google's requests and decided whether to grant Google's claim. The court also granted an extension of the compliance period for the appeal. However, in the second hearing in September 2025, the judge of the Court of Appeal stated that the motion to suspend the order was dismissed because it was moot in light of the Court's decision.

Google has indicated it intends to appeal to the Supreme Court and has asked for an injunction against the App Store order until September 2025 while it prepares its appeal. In its filing with the Supreme Court, Google said, 'This change will have a significant impact on over 100 million Android users and 500,000 developers in the United States.'

However, the Supreme Court denied Google's application without giving reasons, resulting in the previously suspended injunction provisions taking immediate effect.



As a result, Google must fulfill the following obligations by October 2025:

Google will stop forcing app developers to use Google Play Billing .
- Allows developers to guide users to other payment methods (external payments)
- Allow app distribution links outside of the app store
Allow developers to set their own prices
- End Google Play's exclusive preferential treatment (pre-installation agreements and special offers in collaboration with telecommunications carriers)
・Technical guidelines developed through collaboration between Google and Epic

Epic Games stated that the deadline for Google to comply is 'October 22, 2025.' Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney posted on X, 'The Supreme Court has denied Google's request for a stay. Starting October 22, developers have the legal right to direct US Google Play users to external payments without any fees, screen prompts, or other hassles.'



Google spokesman Dan Jackson issued a statement to the media, saying, 'Android offers users and developers more choice than any other mobile operating system. The changes ordered by the district court threaten users' ability to safely download apps. We are disappointed that the order was not stayed, and we will continue to appeal.'

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