Google

Google and Epic hit the snooze button on Play Store showdown

Instead of October 22nd, the new D-Day for Epic v. Google is now October 29th.

by
Ronil Thakkar
October 21, 2025

Image: KnowTechie

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In true tech-drama fashion, Google and Epic Games have decided to delay their big breakup, again.

Just two days before Google’s court-ordered deadline to loosen its grip on app store rules, both companies quietly asked for (and got) one more week.

So instead of October 22nd, the new D-Day for Epic v. Google is now October 29th.

The ruling came down from US District Court Judge James Donato, who granted the extension in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it court order that simply reads: “At the joint request of the parties… extended to October 29th.” (Via: The Verge)

No explanation, no drama, just a tidy one-sentence delay for one of the biggest app store battles of the decade.

The mysterious part? No one’s quite sure why this happened. Google wanted the extra week, fair enough, but what’s puzzling is that Epic Games agreed to it.

That’s the same Epic Games whose CEO, Tim Sweeney, had been hyping October 22nd as the day “developers will be legally entitled to steer US Google Play users to out-of-app payments without fees, scare screens, and friction.”

It was supposed to be the day app makers could finally bypass Google’s in-app billing system without punishment.

Now, those dreams are on pause until next Wednesday. Maybe there’s some behind-the-scenes negotiation. Maybe lawyers just wanted a long weekend.

Whatever the reason, neither company is saying a word, their public filings don’t mention why the extension was requested.

When October 29th finally rolls around (assuming it’s not delayed again), Google is expected to stop requiring developers to use Google Play Billing and let them set their own prices and payment systems.

That’s a big deal, potentially reshaping how Android apps make money.

Of course, there’s one more twist: Google is expected to file a Supreme Court appeal by October 27th, which could put everything on ice if the Court grants a stay.