Epic Games Settles Antitrust Case Against Samsung

Epic Games has settled its antitrust case against Samsung over allegations of blocking rival app stores on Samsung phones. The case was filed last September, accusing Samsung of working with Google to block competition. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced the settlement, saying Samsung will address Epic's concerns. The settlement comes as Epic continues to push for greater competition in app distribution.

Epic Games, the developer behind the popular game Fortnite, has reached a settlement with Samsung in its antitrust case. The lawsuit, filed last September, accused Samsung of conspiring with Google to block rival app stores on Samsung phones. According to a court filing, Epic Games has dismissed its case against Samsung following discussions between the parties.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced the settlement 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" [1]. The settlement comes nearly a year after Epic launched its own mobile app store to distribute both its own games and third-party titles.

Epic had alleged that Samsung's "Auto Blocker" feature, which blocked downloads outside of the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, was a coordinated effort to block competition in app distribution. Samsung had previously stated it planned to "vigorously contest Epic Game’s baseless claims" [1].

The settlement with Samsung follows Epic's separate antitrust case against Google, which Epic won in 2023. A judge ordered Google to open its app store to rivals, though a decision on Google’s appeal is still pending [1]. Epic continues to push for greater competition in app distribution.

Epic Games has not provided details on how Samsung will address its concerns. However, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has mentioned two potential solutions: changing the Auto Blocker feature so it is off by default or creating an "honest whitelisting process" that automatically lets legitimate apps through [2].

The settlement comes ahead of Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event, where the company is expected to announce new phones. While the settlement does not specify what Samsung will do to address Epic's concerns, it is possible that Samsung may pre-load the Epic Games Store on its phones, though this would not fully satisfy Sweeney's broader goals [2].

The settlement with Samsung does not mean Epic has dropped its lawsuit against Google. The claims against Google will continue, as they are part of a new First Amended Complaint [2]. Epic's main antitrust lawsuit against Google also continues, with a decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals pending [1].

References:
[1] https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/07/fortnite-maker-epic-games-settles-antitrust-case-against-samsung/
[2] https://www.theverge.com/analysis/699541/epic-games-settle-samsung-auto-blocker-lawsuit