It’ll place 10% of all sales on Android in escrow
We’re just days away from Google’s new payment policy on the Play Store finally going into effect, nearly two years after the company first announced it. The last few weeks have seen plenty of drama, especially from major publishers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, who are attempting to avoid new fees
The latest kerfuffle between Google and Epic started last month, when the company behind Fortnite turned to Bandcamp — which it recently acquired — announced it would need to cease in-app sales under the new Play Store policy. Basically, the company noted that, even at the 10% rate set by Google for apps like Bandcamp, it would be unable to continue business. Effectively, the app would become similar to its iOS version, which currently lacks in-app purchases for digital songs to avoid giving Apple a cut.
Now, Epic has announced a ceasefire of sorts in this particular battle — at least for now. As per a court-ordered agreement, Bandcamp will continue using its current in-app payment system, while placing 10% of all revenue raised through Android sales in escrow, pending Epic’s legal fight with Google drawing to a close.
The company is still phrasing its struggles for fee-free payment structures on Android as a fight on behalf of artists, though it seems clear that its own bottom line is also in consideration. After all, Bandcamp takes a 15% cut of everything musicians make on its platform, and there’s no indication those fees are going away anytime soon.
You can read the court’s filing in full on Bandcamp’s website.
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