Epic Games' Lawsuit Against Two Tech Giants
Epic Games, creator of the hit game Fortnite, has filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing them of stifling competition in the app marketplace.
The complaint, filed in US federal court in California, alleges that the companies worked together to block alternative app stores, such as the Epic Games Store, from gaining traction on Samsung devices.
Today we filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung alleging that they illegally colluded to block competition by turning the Auto Blocker feature *on by default* on Samsung devices. This undermines the progress made to open up Android devices to competition.…
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) September 30, 2024
Central to the dispute is Samsung's "Auto Blocker" feature, which was initially optional but became mandatory in July 2024, just before the Epic Games Store's mobile launch.
Epic claims this move was coordinated with Google to suppress competition and maintain the dominance of the Google Play Store, which captures 30% of app revenue.
Epic Games Denounces Samsung's Security Feature
Epic Games claims that Samsung's Auto Blocker feature makes it nearly impossible for users to access the Epic Games Store by default.
In its legal filing, Epic highlights that disabling the Auto Blocker requires users to complete a cumbersome 21-step process—an obstacle that discourages many from even attempting it, effectively forcing them to rely on Google Play.
While Samsung frames Auto Blocker as a security measure to protect against malicious apps, Epic argues that it serves as a pretext to keep Google as the dominant app distributor on Android.
The lawsuit points out that Samsung had never imposed such stringent conditions on third-party app stores before.
Epic Games has just filed a new lawsuit against Google and Samsung because of their "Auto Blocker" feature on Android 💀
The Auto Blocker is turned on by default, making it harder to download 3rd-party applications, which Epic believes to be illegal! pic.twitter.com/l0S2gznZfM
— Shiina (@ShiinaBR) September 30, 2024
Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, emphasized the detrimental impact these restrictions have on both developers and consumers.
He noted that, while Google Play offers developers an 88% revenue split, barriers like Auto Blocker make it difficult for alternative stores to compete, driving users back to Google's ecosystem.
Sweeney said:
“Google is pretending to keep the user safe by saying you’re not allowed to install apps from unknown sources. Well, Google knows what Fortnite is as they have distributed it in the past.”
He added:
“It's about misleading users into thinking competitors' products are inferior to the company's products themselves.”
Samsung Hits Back at Epic Games' Lawsuit
With regard to the lawsuit, Samsung dismissed Epic's claims as "baseless," stating that the Auto Blocker feature is a key part of its commitment to user security.
The company stated:
"The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung's core principles of security, privacy, and user control. Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users' personal data."
The company also expressed its intention to "vigourously defend" itself against the allegations brought by Epic Games.
Epic Games' Lawsuit Comes After Victory Against Google
Sweeney highlighted that Samsung implemented the Auto Blocker change just before the launch of Epic's mobile store, a timing he claims was not coincidental.
The lawsuit further alleges an unusually high level of coordination between Google and Samsung, which Epic argues amounts to a quid pro quo arrangement.
This legal action follows a court victory for Epic against Google, where a jury found Google's Play Store practices to be anticompetitive.
Epic Games has won the lawsuit against Google! #Fortnite
The jury has decided that Google has an illegal Monopoly regarding App Stores. pic.twitter.com/Dde8KOpSGD
— K9 (@K9pvp) December 12, 2023
Although that ruling allowed Epic to operate its store on Android devices, the company asserts that Google and Samsung are still actively stifling competition.
