During the trial against Apple last month, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that Epic had breached its developer contract when it activated the hidden code within Fortnite on the iPhone and iPad that violated the App Store rules. Now, Google is countersuing Epic Games based on the same legal front.
Google, in its 43-page filing [PDF], reinstated how Epic had similar hidden code for the same game which was distributed via the Google Play Store last year. This broke the contract that led Google to remove the game from its store. Google further added that Epic, with its campaign, intended to villainize and harm Google, while distracting people from Epic"s breach of contract.
According to CNET, a spokesman from Google said that Epic "entered into a legal agreement with Google with which it never intended to comply" and that its actions "have put its own users at risk, have harmed Google, and are deserving of relief from this Court."
Last year, Epic sued both Apple and Google in an argument that both of the big tech firms are too controlling of their respective app stores, and that they put restrictions on what type of apps can be offered through them. Both the companies also collect up to 30% commission from in-app purchases. This led to Fortnite getting removed from both the stores last year when Epic activated hidden code that changed the way people make in-app purchases within the game.
In the Epic vs Apple case last month, the court ruled two rulings. The first ruling stated that Apple cannot restrict developers from guiding users to alternative external payment methods, while the second ruling favored Apple and said that Epic Games breached its contract when it offered direct payments to customers on iOS. Google will take this second ruling as a legal strategy with an intent to win the case against Epic.