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Google is moving forward with a series of changes to the Play Store after settling a years-long dispute with Fortnite developer Epic Games over competition concerns. The tech giant on Wednesday said it would drop its Play Store commissions to 20% on in-app purchases, with another 5% expected if developers choose to use Google’s payment system. It also makes it easier for users to set up third-party app stores through a new optional program called the Registered App Stores program.
“With this update, we have also resolved our worldwide dispute with Epic Games,” Google said company blog post.
The changes are part of a new agreement between the technology rivals that will allow Epic Games to bring Fortnite to the Google Play Store worldwide, while also investing in its other store, the Epic Games Store for Android.
As part of the agreement, Google’s Registered App Stores program will provide an easy upgrade process for users who want to install apps from outside of Google Play. One of Epic’s concerns was that the app installation process included dire warnings to users about the dangers of non-Play Store apps. Of course, users should be careful – side-by-side applications are a well-known security risk. But other parties, such as Epic Games, wanted to run their official (and safe) software without any threat mechanisms.
The program will allow this, since authorized stores will need to meet certain security requirements, Google notes. The app is coming to markets beyond the US first. If the decision is upheld by the court, it will restart stateside.
Another notable change is the change to the Play Store Commission system. Like Apple, Google’s standard service has been 30%, with a 15% reduction in repeat subscriptions. Now, it will be much lower: the new “money” will be 20% on in-app purchases on new installations and 10% on repeat subscriptions.
However, this fee does not include using Google’s payment method – that’s another 5%. (This rate applies to the US, the European Economic Area, and the UK. Other countries will have their own market-specific rates.)
There will also be new developer programs, including the Apps Experience Program and a revamped Google Play Games Level Up program, which encourages developers to develop the latest technology on Android. Developers who choose to participate in these programs will pay 20% of the amount of activity that occurs when stopping existing programs, but will only pay 15% based on the amount of activity that occurs when stopping new programs.
The new fees will come into effect on June 30, 2026, in the EEA, the UK, and the United States. New software development programs will also start at that time.
Australia will gain access to the new currency on September 30, followed by Korea and Japan by December 31. The new currency will expand into the global market by September 30, 2027.
“We believe this change will lead to a stronger Android ecosystem with the best developers and the best apps and games available on multiple platforms for everyone. We look forward to continuing to work with developers to create the next generation of digital experiences,” A Google post said.
Epic Games praised the stability and the change itself wordsnoting that “These changes will transform Android into an open platform with competition between stores.” At X, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney he said “THANK YOU GOOGLE!” calling the move “a better deal for all manufacturers.”
Epic Games has long been involved in the same lawsuit by Apple over its App Store services. Apple was forced to change its policies to give developers the ability to connect to external payment systems. That case is under way requestand Apple has recently won a partial modification of the court order.
