Epic Games, developer of the wildly popular video game Fortnite, has successfully resolved its antitrust case against Samsung. This legal battle began in late September 2022. It zeroed in on complaints that Samsung and Google colluded to prevent competing app stores from being pre-loaded on Samsung devices. This settlement is a huge victory for Epic Games. It emboldens their attempts to expand and deepen their stranglehold on the mobile app distribution space.
Samsung’s actions, claimed the lawsuit, harmed competition fairly and severely, particularly following Epic Games’ development of and release into the market of an independent mobile app store. This platform is the home to Epic’s hit creators but offers a growing catalog of other games for consumer interest. The company opened its app store on iOS in the European Union and on Android everywhere else. This step is intended to provide consumers with more app options outside of established app marketplaces.
Epic Games sued Google and Samsung. They contend the companies entered into a joint venture to willfully restrain competition in app distribution. This legal action follows the Epic v. Google jury trial. It surfaced the real, difficult issues that developers face in an ecosystem dominated by Big Tech.
We’re dropping our lawsuit against Samsung in light of the parties’ talks,” explained Epic CEO Tim Sweeney. He expressed gratitude that Samsung would address Epic’s concerns, indicating a willingness from both parties to move forward positively.
The settlement comes almost exactly a year after Epic Games first opened its own app store. This is a key tactical win for the company as it continues to upend other monopolies in the app ecosystem. By resolving this dispute, Epic Games can focus on enhancing its app store offerings and further promoting competition in digital marketplaces.
