Epic Games has accused Samsung of making it overly complicated for users to download *Fortnite* on certain mobile devices. In a legal complaint to be filed on Monday, Epic claims users must go through 21 steps, including navigating security warnings and changing settings, before they can play the game on a new Samsung device.
According to Epic, this process causes half of users to abandon the download. In contrast, downloading *Fortnite* on other Android devices requires just 12 steps. The issue, Epic claims, stems from Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature, which is designed to prevent app installations from unauthorized sources and is enabled by default on newer Samsung products. Epic argues this violates competition laws.
Samsung has denied the allegations, calling them "baseless" and stating users can disable Auto Blocker if desired. The company emphasized its commitment to security, privacy, and user control, asserting that the feature is intended to safeguard users from malicious activity.
The conflict arises because *Fortnite* must be downloaded from Epic’s store, triggering Samsung's Auto Blocker, whereas apps from Google or Samsung’s stores can be installed with just a few clicks. Epic contends that both companies know *Fortnite* is legitimate and should not trigger warnings, noting its previous availability on Google Play and past collaborations with Samsung.
Google’s engineering VP Dave Kleidermacher dismissed Epic’s claims as "meritless," stating that the Auto Blocker feature was not developed at Google’s request and highlighting the security risks of downloading apps from the web. He argued that the issue is about user safety, not game access, and accused Epic of putting its corporate interests ahead of user protections.
Epic has previously taken Google and Apple to court over similar disputes regarding app store practices. While *Fortnite* returned to EU iPhones after Apple was ordered to allow third-party app stores, the game remains unavailable on iOS in the UK.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney expressed disappointment over the new legal action against Samsung, calling it "very sad." He stated that while the company could have made more money by avoiding litigation, it remains committed to creating a "level playing field" for developers.
Epic is seeking a system that allows legitimate third-party app developers to bypass Samsung’s Auto Blocker but has so far been unable to reach an agreement. *Fortnite* was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores in 2020 after Epic introduced its own in-app payment system, leading to legal battles over app store dominance. Epic won a significant victory against Google in December 2023 when a jury found Google had been operating a monopoly.
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