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Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing the tech giants of anti-competitive behavior.
The lawsuit targets Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature, introduced in October 2023, which prevents users from installing apps outside of the Google Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store.
Initially an opt-in feature, Auto Blocker became the default setting in July 2024, making it harder to sideload apps like Epic’s own mobile store.
Epic claims that Auto Blocker creates an “onerous” process for users to install alternative app stores, undermining competition. According to the game giant, it takes users up to 21 steps to download external apps, compared to 12 steps on Android devices without the feature.
Epic also argues that labeling its apps as “unknown” software is damaging its reputation, as Samsung previously hosted some of its games on the Galaxy Store.
This new legal action follows Epic’s earlier antitrust victory against Google in December 2023. A jury ruled that Google had engaged in anti-competitive practices, including forcing developers to use its payment system and discouraging competition.
Epic now claims that Samsung’s Auto Blocker, likely implemented in cooperation with Google, violates the spirit of this verdict by making it nearly impossible for competing app stores to thrive.
Commenting on the news, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized the harm to both consumers and developers, as the new restrictions block access to alternative platforms.
Despite the challenges, Epic remains committed to expanding its mobile game store, which has reached over 10 million installs since its launch last month.
The lawsuit seeks to block Auto Blocker from becoming the default setting and requests damages for lost profits and legal costs. Samsung has denied the allegations and vowed to contest Epic’s claims.
In adjacent news, District Judge Thomas S. Hixson recently denied Apple’s request to extend the deadline for submitting more than 1.3 million documents concerning App Store policy changes, maintaining today’s original deadline.
