Epic Games is expanding its legal battle against Google, and now has both Google and Samsung in its sights. At the center of the lawsuit is Samsung's "auto blocker" feature, which Epic claims is stifling competition in the mobile gaming market.
Epic Games is taking legal action against Google and Samsung for allegedly working together to block competition by enabling Samsung's Auto Blocker feature by default.
Epic's new lawsuit against Google and Samsung
Android users are currently forced to download and play games from the Epic Games Store byinstalling it as a third-party application.
As a third-party application, Samsung's Auto Blocker requires users to go through a 21-step process to install the Epic Games Store, making it difficult for players to access Epic's content. In response, Epic is asking the court to intervene and stop these practices and is demanding that Samsung remove the Auto Blocker by default and allow competition.
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
Samsung introduced Auto Blocker as a security feature in 2023, with the intention of preventing the installation of potentially malicious apps. While it was originally an opt-in feature, it was enabled by default in July 2024.
Epic argues that this feature "undermines the jury's unanimous decision in Epic v. Google," which found that Google had entered into agreements with original equipment manufacturersthat unfairly restricted competition in the mobile market.
Will Epic win again? We think it's likely.