Google Faces Antitrust Trial Over 'Project Hug' Tactics in Preventing App Store Competition

Google accused of using 'Project Hug' initiative to secure exclusivity with top developers, allegedly paying millions to companies such as Activision-Blizzard and Riot Games, according to court documents in Epic Games v. Google trial.

Google is facing an antitrust trial over its 'Project Hug' initiative, which is accused of preventing app store competition by securing exclusivity with top developers through payments of millions of dollars.
According to court documents, Google offered companies such as Activision-Blizzard and Riot Games incentives not to create their own app stores. Google reportedly offered $147 million to Epic Games to launch Fortnite on the Google Play Store, an offer which Epic rejected.
20 of the 22 developers targeted by Google signed Project Hug deals, with Google purportedly boasting about steering Riot Games away from launching an in-house app store through $10 million of marketing.
Epic Games argues that Google used 'scary, repetitive security pop-ups' on Android devices to deter users from downloading apps outside of the Google Play store. This practice allegedly led to Google's monopoly on app distribution.
The outcome of the trial could have a major impact on the future of app distribution and in-app purchases, potentially reshaping the dynamics among developers, platform owners, and consumers.