People must complete 21 steps, including seeing security warning messages and adjusting settings, before they can play the game on a new Samsung device, according to a court lawsuit the company said it will submit on Monday.
According to Epic, this indicates that 50% of users who attempt to install the game on these devices quit up before finishing the procedure.
According to Samsung, the “baseless claims” will be “vigorously contested”.
For other Android phones and tablets, there are 12 phases in the process, instead of 21, according to Epic.
The problem has been attributed by the company to a Samsung function known as Auto Blocker, which is activated by default on the company’s most recent models.
The purpose of the tool is to stop “malicious activity” and stop unapproved software installs.
Epic asserts that Auto Blocker is interfering with Fortnite downloads, which is illegal under competition laws.
Samsung denied the claims and stated that customers have the option to turn off Auto Blocker.
“Contrary to Epic Game’s assertions, Samsung actively foster’s market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly,” it stated.
“The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users’ personal data.”
Although Samsung and Google have already authorized the apps, downloading them from their stores only takes a few clicks.
However, in order to use Fortnite, you have to download it from Epic’s own store, which sets off Samsung’s Auto Blocker function and displays warnings about it.
This is due to the fact that it was once accessible through Google Play, the official software store for Android-powered phones. Samsung and Fortnite even ran competitions in the past and produced virtual skins for the game’s characters.
Epic’s most recent lawsuit is a reckless and meritless action, according to Google engineering vice president Dave Kleidermacher’s comments.
He claimed that Android device makers might build their own extra safety features and that Google had not asked Samsung to develop their Auto Blocker function.
“While Android allows sideloading, Google and the security community have warned users for years about the real risks associated with downloading apps directly from the web,” he stated.
He continued by noting that governments had also called for further user protections, and that’s why Google provides safety tools that look for potentially dangerous apps in addition to the “real risks” associated with installing online apps.
“To make this about access to a game is deliberately misleading; this is about user safety,” he stated. Additionally, Epic’s lawsuit prioritizes corporate interests over the safety of users, “a totally level playing field”
The creator of Fortnite has already filed lawsuits against Google and Apple due to differences in how the tech companies run their app stores.
After Apple was compelled to open up its software store, the game made a comeback to EU-registered iPhones in August, although it is still unavailable for play on iOS in the UK.
Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic, expressed his “great sadness” at the news of more legal action.
“The fight against Samsung… is new, and it really sucks,” he stated.
“I did not think we would end up in this place.”
He stated that he wished to provide a “truly level playing field” for creators, but he asserted that Epic would have “made a lot more money” had it opted not to pursue its prior legal action.
The game creator claims that they have not been able to come to an arrangement with Samsung, but they would want to see the introduction of a procedure wherein all authorized third-party software developers may seek to be whitelisted from Auto Blocker.
2020 saw the removal of Fortnite from the Google and Apple app stores as Epic unveiled their own in-app purchase mechanism.
And in December 2023, after a protracted legal struggle against Google’s hegemony in the app store, the developer prevailed because a jury found that Google had been running a monopoly.
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