Epic Games Files Fresh Antitrust Lawsuit Targeting Google and Samsung

Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, has filed another antitrust lawsuit against Google, this time adding Samsung to the legal battle. According to The Verge, the gaming giant is accusing both tech companies of conspiring to restrict third-party app stores through tactics that unfairly hinder competition.

The core of Epic’s complaint focuses on Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature, which is now turned on by default on new Samsung devices. According to Epic, the feature restricts users from installing apps unless they come from “authorized sources”—namely, Google and Samsung’s official app stores. Epic alleges that there is no transparent or accessible process for other third-party app stores to be deemed “authorized,” effectively limiting competition.

Epic’s legal action follows its victory in December in a previous lawsuit against Google, where the court ruled that Google had maintained an illegal monopoly over its app store. Now, the company is renewing its legal challenge, accusing both Google and Samsung of further restricting access to rival app stores.

In the lawsuit, Epic claims that Samsung’s Auto Blocker imposes what it calls “an exceptionally onerous 21-step process” to install a third-party app store on a Samsung device. While this number may seem exaggerated—Epic’s own website suggests it takes only four steps to disable the feature—the company insists that the convoluted process is designed to discourage users from downloading apps from outside the Google and Samsung ecosystems. The Verge reports that Auto Blocker has also become more difficult to disable over time, with fewer instructions available on how to turn it off.

When Samsung users attempt to install apps from an unauthorized source, Auto Blocker blocks the installation without providing guidance on how to proceed. In many cases, users are met with vague security warnings, which claim that Auto Blocker “keeps your phone safe by blocking threats and other suspicious activity.” Epic challenges this reasoning, arguing that the feature does not actually assess the security of specific apps or sources but is instead designed to protect Samsung and Google’s app store dominance.

Related: Apple Approves Epic Games’ Marketplace App in Europe Amid Ongoing Feud

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has been vocal in his criticism of the Auto Blocker, suggesting that its primary purpose is to stifle competition. “The thing’s not designed to protect against malware, which would be a completely legitimate purpose,” Sweeney told journalists, according to The Verge. “The thing’s designed to prevent competition.” He concedes, however, that there is currently no concrete proof of collusion between Google and Samsung, but hopes that evidence will emerge during the legal discovery process.

Sweeney also admitted that Epic did not formally ask Samsung to list its app store as an authorized source before filing the lawsuit. According to him, the company’s stance is broader than just seeking privileges for Epic. “If we’d fought Epic v. Apple and Epic v. Google solely on the basis of Epic getting special privileges… we’d be selling out all developers,” Sweeney said.

Instead, Epic claims it approached Samsung with more general proposals—either to turn off Auto Blocker by default or to create a clear, transparent whitelisting process for legitimate apps. However, the two companies were unable to reach an agreement. According to the lawsuit, Samsung intensified its efforts to restrict rival app stores just before Epic launched its own Epic Games Store on Android, making it more difficult for users to download and install competing app stores.

This latest lawsuit represents a new chapter in Epic’s ongoing legal battle against tech giants over app store dominance. Four years after its initial lawsuit against Google and Apple, Epic is now taking aim at Samsung, accusing it of using underhanded tactics to restrict competition. As the case unfolds, it could once again shine a light on the practices of major app stores and their treatment of third-party developers.

According to The Verge, Epic’s lawsuit could set another legal precedent for the mobile app market, depending on the outcome of the case.

Source: The Verge