Fortnite maker Epic Games settles antitrust case against Samsung

Epic Games Settles Antitrust Case Against Samsung

In a recent court filing, Fortnite maker Epic Games announced that it has reached a settlement in its antitrust case against Samsung. The case, which was filed in September, accused Samsung of collaborating with Google to block rival app stores by default on Samsung phones.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the settlement in a post on X, stating, “We’re dismissing our court case against Samsung following the parties’ discussions. We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic’s concerns.”

While an Epic spokesperson declined to provide further comment, both Samsung and Google have not responded to requests for statements from JS.

The lawsuit alleged that Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature, which prevented downloads from sources outside of the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, was a deliberate attempt to stifle competition in app distribution.

Google had previously dismissed Epic’s legal action as “meritless,” asserting that Android device manufacturers have the autonomy to implement measures to ensure user safety and security. Samsung had also vowed to vigorously contest Epic Games’ claims.

This settlement comes nearly a year after Epic Games launched its own mobile app store to distribute its games as well as third-party titles.

Prior to suing Samsung, Epic Games had successfully won an antitrust case against Google in 2023, where the tech giant was found guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly through its app store practices. A judge had ruled in favor of opening Google’s app store to competitors, although Google has filed an appeal that is still pending.