NEWS  Google  December 1, 2023  Reading time: ~1 minute)

Max (RS editor)

Judge James Donato has ordered Epic Games and Google to engage in settlement talks, emphasizing that they should explore diplomatic avenues before the jury declares a winner in the epic (pun intended) antitrust battle. Apparently, the revelation that the two tech giants never attempted to resolve their differences over a friendly cup of digital tea caught the judge's attention.

Epic's lead attorney, Gary Bornstein, seized the moment to present three demands if they emerge victorious, including the freedom for developers to open app stores without restrictions, the liberty to handle in-game transactions with their own billing systems, and an anti-circumvention provision, which was swiftly rejected by Judge Donato, reminding everyone that courts don't do 'don't break the law' injunctions.

Judge Donato, playing mediator, suggested that Spotify's deal with Google could be a template for a peaceful resolution. However, before the negotiating table is set, he instructed Epic to submit its demands promptly by December 2, insisting on a comprehensive, detailed, and specific list. Google, in turn, must respond with an equally detailed counterproposal by December 4.

The settlement conference, akin to a tech-centric diplomatic summit, will involve Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a Google representative capable of signing a binding agreement, and the legal bigwigs from both camps. All this, as the antitrust trial enters its fourteenth day, with the jury eagerly awaiting the final act scheduled for December 11. Stay tuned for more courtroom drama, where justice may just be a Fortnite dance away.

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