Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, has criticized Google for what he calls “malicious compliance” with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is a law designed to prevent tech companies from acting as gatekeepers and blocking developers’ access to digital markets. Epic Games had previously sued both Google and Apple for their monopoly fees and restrictions on mentioning alternative app stores. While Epic won a jury trial against Google in December, Sweeney believes that both companies are dragging their feet on complying with the DMA.
In a tweet, Sweeney stated, “No gatekeeper should be allowed to impose fees for services not provided. It’s a transparent exercise in self-preferencing and monopoly rent extraction. Epic will fight on.” He also accused Google of planning to replace their illegal anti-steering policy with a new “Google Tax” on web transactions.
This criticism from Sweeney echoes his previous statements about Apple, which is also considered a gatekeeper company with its iOS App Store. Sweeney has been vocal about his concerns regarding the practices of both Apple and Google and their impact on fair competition in the digital marketplace.
The Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), whose executive director is Rick VanMeter, also expressed concerns about Google’s compliance with the DMA. VanMeter stated, “The glaring lack of detail in the last-minute post shows that Google is not serious about complying with the law.” He further criticized Google’s plans to continue undermining app distribution outside of the Play Store and mandating the use of scare screens that discourage direct downloading. The CAF believes that strong enforcement of the DMA is necessary to prevent abusive practices by Google and other companies.
Overall, this ongoing dispute between Epic Games, Google, and Apple highlights the complex issues surrounding competition in the digital marketplace. As the DMA enforcement begins, it remains to be seen how these companies will navigate the requirements and whether they will truly comply with the regulations set forth by the European Union.