Gaming IndustryEpic sues Google again for making the Epic Games Store such a headache to install, and now it’s dragged Samsung into the fight tooWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Gaming IndustryEpic sues Google again for making the Epic Games Store such a headache to install, and now it’s dragged Samsung into the fight tooWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Peely from Fortnite with banana-fied Wolverine claws.

Having pulled out anunexpected winin its years-long courtroom with tech colossus Google, Epic Games has decided it wants another go-around, and this time it’s dragging Samsung into the fight for good measure.

As amusing as it is to imagine Epic CEO Tim Sweeney telling Tim Cook to “get more guys to make it a fair fight,” Samsung is actually at the core of this particular lawsuit. The issue turns on Epic’s plan to launch its own store on Android devices, which will enable it to distribute its own games, and eventually others, without having to pay a huge cut in revenues. Epic is legally allowed to do so after its courtroom victory—andit has—but Google and Samsung, so Epic alleges, are making the process as difficult as possible in order to dissuade users from actually using it.

“We are filing a court case against Google and Samsung over coordinated efforts to block competition in app distribution on Samsung devices with Samsung’s default-on Auto Blocker feature,” Epic wrote in its lawsuitannouncement. “Auto Blocker is the latest in a long series of dealings in which Google and Samsung have agreed not to compete to protect Google’s monopoly power. Auto Blocker cements the Google Play Store as the only viable way to get apps on Samsung devices, blocking every other store from competing on a level playing field.

“Our litigation alleges that Samsung’s recent implementation of the Auto Blocker feature was intentionally crafted in coordination with Google to preemptively undermine the U.S. District Court’s remedy following the jury’s verdict in Epic’s case against Google. The jury found that Google’s app store practices are illegal, including the unlawful agreements Google enters into with phone manufacturers such as Samsung.”

Making matters worse, the process for switching it off is a real pain in the ass: “An exceptionally onerous 21 step process,” as Epic put it. Reinforcing the point, Epic included images of all 21 steps involved; not an insurmountable task, but it sure does look like a headache.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Slide illustrating part of the process of installing the Epic Games Store on Samsung devices

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The net result, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said, is to drive Android owners away from third-party stores and back to the Play Store, where Google can extract its 30% cut of revenues.

We’ve filed new antitrust and Unfair Competition Law claims against Google and Samsung. A jury found Google’s practices illegal and we’re concerned that Google is encouraging Android hardware makers and carriers to adopt and continue Google’s unlawful practices in advance of the… https://t.co/gBRFYgripdSeptember 30, 2024

We’ve filed new antitrust and Unfair Competition Law claims against Google and Samsung. A jury found Google’s practices illegal and we’re concerned that Google is encouraging Android hardware makers and carriers to adopt and continue Google’s unlawful practices in advance of the… https://t.co/gBRFYgripdSeptember 30, 2024

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Lords of the Fallen studio embraces fear of the DEI boogeyman, says it will not include ‘any social or political agendas’ in its games

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