Epic Games has filed a legal complaint against Samsung, claiming that the installation process for its popular game, Fortnite, is overly complicated on Samsung devices, leading to a significant drop-off in users attempting to play. The complaint, set to be officially submitted on Monday, asserts that users must navigate 21 steps, including viewing security warnings and adjusting settings, before they can start the game. According to Epic, this cumbersome process causes around 50% of users to abandon the installation.
In response, Samsung stated it would “vigorously contest” what it termed “baseless claims.” The company explained that the process for installing Fortnite on other Android devices typically requires only 12 steps, as opposed to the 21 steps on Samsung products. Epic has attributed the lengthy process to a feature called Auto Blocker, which is enabled by default on the latest Samsung devices. This feature is designed to prevent “malicious activity” by blocking installations from unauthorized sources.
Epic claims that this Auto Blocker negatively impacts Fortnite downloads, violating competition laws. However, Samsung countered these allegations, asserting that users have the option to disable Auto Blocker if they choose. “Contrary to Epic Game’s assertions, Samsung actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly,” a spokesperson said. “The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user control.”
While apps available on Samsung or Google’s official stores can be downloaded in just a couple of clicks, Fortnite must be downloaded from Epic’s store, which activates Samsung’s Auto Blocker. Epic contends that both Google and Samsung recognize Fortnite as a legitimate app and should not flag warnings since the game was previously available on Google Play and the companies have collaborated on Fortnite events in the past.
In a statement, Google’s engineering VP, Dave Kleidermacher, criticized Epic’s lawsuit as “meritless and dangerous.” He emphasized that Google did not request Samsung to implement the Auto Blocker and that Android device manufacturers have the freedom to create their own safety tools. “This is about user safety,” he stated. “Epic’s lawsuit puts their corporate interests above user protections.”
Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, expressed disappointment over the need for further legal action, stating he believed the fight against Samsung was unnecessary. He argued for a more equitable environment for third-party app developers and proposed a system where legitimate developers could apply to be whitelisted from the Auto Blocker.
Fortnite was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores in 2020 after Epic introduced its own in-app payment system. In December 2023, Epic won a significant court battle against Google, with a jury ruling that Google had been operating a monopoly.
