Epic Games Files Lawsuit Against Google and Samsung for Using Auto Blocker

As a long-time gaming enthusiast who has witnessed the rise and fall of various digital marketplaces, I can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu when reading about Epic Games’ latest legal battle against Google and Samsung. The allegations of collusion to block competition are reminiscent of the struggles faced by Steam on Windows back in the day, and it seems history is repeating itself in the mobile gaming arena.

In simpler terms, Epic Games is taking legal action against Google and Samsung because they automatically activate the Blocker function without user consent.

1) In its ongoing dispute with Google, Epic Games is set to file another lawsuit, this time against both Google and Samsung. The claim is that these companies have been working together to stifle competition. Notably, the Epic Games Store has entered the mobile gaming market, but Android users need to download the Epic Games Store as a third-party app to access it on their devices. Unfortunately, Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature seems to be hindering this process.

Today, we initiated a legal action accusing Google and Samsung of illegal collusion, claiming they secretly activated the Auto Blocker feature on Samsung devices, thereby limiting competition in the Android market. This practice is harmful to the advancements made towards making Android devices more open for competition.
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) September 30, 2024

According to the blog post, Samsung’s built-in Auto Blocker is active initially, making it necessary for users to go through a 21-step procedure to set up the Epic Games Store on Samsung gadgets. Epic Games is asking the court to prevent Samsung and Google from continuing with practices they claim are anticompetitive and unjust, and furthermore, to compel Samsung to deactivate the Auto Blocker by default, thereby fostering fair competition.

Samsung’s Auto Blocker is a safety measure designed to restrict app installations from questionable sources and thwart harmful actions. Introduced as an optional setting in the year 2023, it became active by default starting in July 2024.

Epic Games argues that the Auto Blocker feature goes against the collective verdict in the case of Epic vs. Google, more specifically, it alleges that Google breached one or more contracts that unjustly limited trade in a relevant market under antitrust laws. This alleged infringement involves agreements with manufacturers of mobile devices (OEMs).

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