Epic Games has filed a new lawsuit against Google and Samsung in the Northern District of California, just over a month after Fortnite’s global return to Android and limited European availability on iOS. A newly filed antitrust lawsuit claims that Google and Samsung collaborated to stifle competition from independent app stores, such as the Epic Games Store, by utilizing Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature.
The company re-launched its flagship game, Fortnite, in July with a major update. The Auto Blocker feature on Samsung devices running One UI 6.1.1 and above disables the ability to install third-party apps or alternative app stores, unless explicitly enabled.
By disabling the Auto Blocker feature in the settings menu, customers can easily circumvent the limitation – although this does necessitate navigating through a series of steps to achieve the desired outcome? According to Epic, disabling the feature requires a 21-step process aimed at deterring users from attempting to install unofficial app stores by making the process excessively cumbersome.
Epic argues that Auto Blocker fundamentally alters the competitive balance of Fortnite, thereby compromising its integrity and undermining the very essence of their game. Google from December 2023. A European Commission ruling found Google held a dominant position in the Android app distribution market, concluding that the company’s practices had stifled competition, as evidenced by financial incentives offered to OEMs such as Samsung to refrain from developing rival app stores.
As a result, we anticipate that Google and Samsung will collaborate closely with Epic to finalize their submissions, potentially prolonging the regulatory process indefinitely.
