‘Fortnite’ maker Epic Games accuses Google, Samsung of collusion over ‘auto blocker’ feature

“Fortnite” maker Epic Games filed its second antitrust lawsuit against Google on Monday, accusing the search giant of illegally colluding with smartphone giant Samsung to stifle app developers.

Led by CEO Tim Sweeney, Epic won a stunning antitrust victory last December after a jury determined that Google was operating illegal monopolies in its Google Play app store and the in-app billing system used by Android devices.

A federal judge is expected to order sweeping changes to Google’s business practices in the near future.

In the new antitrust suit filed in California federal court, Epic focused on a Samsung feature called “Auto Blocker,” which is turned on by default on the company’s smartphones and blocks users from downloading apps outside the Google Play store or the less popular Samsung Galaxy Store.

Users need to follow an “exceptionally onerous 21-step process to download an app outside of the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store,” Epic said in a blog post announcing the suit.

“Auto Blocker is virtually guaranteed to entrench Google’s dominance over Android App Distribution, preventing third-party app stores, such as the Epic Games Store, from reaching any sizable audience on Android,” the lawsuit says.

Auto Blocker was enabled by default on Samsung devices beginning in July 2024.

Epic alleged the feature will undercut the jury’s verdict in its earlier suit if it is allowed to remain in effect.

The North Carolina-based firm is seeking unspecified monetary damages as well as an injunction blocking Samsung and Google from “anti-competitive and unfair conduct and mandating that Samsung take all necessary steps to cease such conduct and to restore competition.”

Google did not immediately return a request for comment.

A Samsung spokesperson said the company “actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly” and plans to “vigorously contest Epic Game’s baseless claims.”

“The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users’ personal data,” the spokesperson said. “Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time.”

Samsung does not allow third-parties to qualify as an “authorized source” that would be exempt from Auto Blocker, the suit alleges.

“Allowing this coordinated illegal anticompetitive dealing to proceed hurts developers and consumers and undermines both the jury’s verdict and regulatory and legislative progress around the world,” Epic Games said in a blog post announcing the suit.

Epic’s latest legal challenge marks yet another headache for Google, which is in the midst of an unprecedented crackdown on its business in the US and abroad.

In August, a federal judge sided with the Justice Department and determined that Google operates an illegal monopoly over the online search market.

The judge is expected to announce remedies to address the anti-competitive practices by next summer.

A second DOJ antitrust targeting Google’s alleged monopoly over digital advertising technology is also underway.

Closing arguments in that case are slated for November.

In both DOJ cases, the feds are expected to seek a forced breakup of Google’s empire.