Google don't like Epic's proposals (and want everyone to know about it)

Epic's ongoing pursuit against platform holders' gatekeeper status continues with the next round being the latest in their toe-to-toe with Google, a company who, while commonly perceived as being open and 'free' are - to Epic's mind - just as guilty as its arch nemesis Apple.

And Epic is a company that won't rest until freedom to put a product where they want, and charge how much they want, and to pay fees that they think is fair, is signed and sealed in law.

It's our money. Not yours

Epic's wrangle - in short - involves the fees these platform owners charge and, after earning a fortune via their innovative work in game-turned-platform Fortnite, their pursuit to hang onto as much of that cash as they can.

And - good news, games industry - they're doing it all for you, frequently painting themselves as the saviour of games, fighting the good fight for anyone who's ever sought to be adequately compensated for their hard work and innovation. (This excludes the creators and operators of major mobile operating systems and platforms, of course.)

It's a cut and dried story. Epic is the underdog, while everyone up the chain is the evil overlord… But now Google wants to set the record straight.

Spare a thought for the big guy…

Previously the giants have sucked it up prior to court engagements with Epic. A simple shrug or failure to acknowledge that a battle was even taking place being the typical mode du jour. The stance is very much "We're armour plated and we've no idea what this guy is talking about."

However, for this latest encounter Google has taken the unprecedented step to set their stall out in advance.

In a press release today - entitled "Epic's proposed remedies are bad for everyone but Epic" - Google have taken steps to paint 'poor old Epic' in a whole new light…

"Epic Games’ proposed changes to Android and Google Play would undermine the privacy, security, and overall experience of consumers, developers, and device manufacturers," they claim.

"Not only do Epic’s demands go far beyond the scope of the recent U.S. trial verdict - which we will be challenging - but they are also unnecessary due to the settlement we reached last year with State Attorneys General from every state and multiple territories.

"We recently shared with the court why we strongly object to Epic’s proposal - and at a hearing later this week, economic experts will reinforce the reasons why Epic’s proposed remedies are problematic and unnecessary."

They then go on to outline the ways in which Epic's proposals put Android users' security at risk with potential malware at every turn and how their plans actually reduce developer's options for distribution and monetisation.

Take a look at the lawman, beating up the wrong guy…

"Epic wants to force all other developers to publish their intellectual property through multiple channels without their consent. Under this proposal, developers may suddenly find their app on a store without the same user protections or in a store that carries inappropriate or offensive content they do not want to be associated with."

Furthermore "Epic wants to entirely restrict Google’s ability to offer any financial incentives to developers to distribute their apps in the Play store, even on a non-exclusive and app-by-app basis," a move that would end Google's practice of securing exclusives for the platform, and a welcome cash-up-front option for devs willing to sign on the line.

It adds up to a convincing but bizarre argument that - for once - paints poor Google, it's hundreds of thousands of developers and billions of users as under threat from a crazed upstart…

As to which badly done-to underdog the U.S. federal court will eventually take pity on, time will tell.