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Appeals Court Pauses Google Play Store Reforms Amid Epic Games Dispute

By  |  August 4, 2025

In the latest development in the legal showdown between Google and Epic Games, a U.S. federal appeals court has granted a temporary stay on a lower court’s order mandating major changes to Google’s Play Store, according to Reuters. The decision comes as Google seeks to continue its legal challenge against the injunction issued last year.

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    On Friday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco agreed to pause the enforcement of the October 2023 order, which required Google to implement sweeping reforms aimed at increasing competition within its Play Store ecosystem. The reforms included allowing users to access competing app stores from within the Play Store and making its catalog available to those competitors.

    Per Reuters, the injunction had previously been on hold while the appellate court reviewed Google’s challenge. Although a three-judge panel unanimously upheld the order on Thursday, the appeals court has now granted Google an administrative stay, giving the company until August 8 to request a longer-term pause pending the outcome of its appeal.

    Google stated that without intervention from the court, the injunction would have taken effect within 14 days. The tech giant also confirmed plans to pursue further legal avenues, including requesting a hearing from the full 9th Circuit and, if needed, seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    Related: Google Loses Appeal in Epic Antitrust Battle, Must Open Play Store to Competition

    The legal dispute stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite. Epic accused Google of illegally maintaining a monopoly over app distribution and in-app payment systems on Android devices. A San Francisco jury sided with Epic in 2023, leading U.S. District Judge James Donato to issue the contested injunction.

    Google has consistently denied engaging in anticompetitive behavior. However, the appellate panel that upheld the injunction noted that the trial record contained substantial evidence of conduct that entrenched Google’s dominance in the Android app marketplace, according to Reuters.

    The case, officially titled Epic Games v. Google, continues in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals under docket number 24-6256.

    Source: Reuters