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Epic Games has filed a federal lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing the tech giants of colluding to undermine competition in the app distribution market. The lawsuit, filed Monday in California federal court, claims that Google and Samsung are preemptively working together to sidestep a potential court order that could force Google to allow more competition with its Play Store.

Epic Games sues Google and Samsung : Allegations of Collusion

Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, alleges that Samsung is now aiding Google in avoiding its legal obligations, even as a California judge considers remedies following a jury's verdict last year. The jury found that Google exercised monopolistic control over app distribution on Android devices, a significant blow to the search giant.

In its lawsuit, Epic Games claims that in July, Samsung made it more difficult for users to install apps outside of the Google Play Store and the Samsung Galaxy Store. The complaint points to Samsung's recent changes to its "auto blocker" feature, which now requires users to follow a complicated 21-step process to install third-party apps. Epic argues that this move is part of a coordinated effort with Google to weaken any forthcoming legal remedy designed to foster competition.

Preemptive Strategy to Block Competition

Epic Games asserts that the new auto blocker feature was specifically designed to obstruct the U.S. District Court’s potential ruling following the jury's decision. “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,” Epic said in a statement.

The lawsuit also references Google’s ongoing anti-competitive behavior, particularly the “unlawful agreements” it makes with phone manufacturers like Samsung to maintain its dominance over Android app distribution.

Context and Broader Legal Battle

This new lawsuit is part of a broader legal campaign by Epic Games to challenge the monopolistic practices of major tech companies. Epic's legal battle with Google began in 2020 after it accused Google of using its Play Store policies to stifle competition and inflate fees for app developers.

Epic has also been locked in a similar legal battle with Apple, arguing that both Google and Apple use their app stores to maintain a duopoly over mobile app distribution. While the Apple case has led to mixed results, Epic is continuing to pursue legal avenues to promote more open app markets across platforms.