Epic Games has settled its antitrust lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, dismissing claims that the South Korean tech giant conspired with Google to block rival app marketplaces through default settings on Android devices.

The settlement was announced Monday in a brief federal court filing in San Francisco, with Epic CEO Tim Sweeney expressing gratitude that “Samsung will address Epic’s concerns” without providing additional details about the agreement’s terms.

The lawsuit, filed in September, accused Samsung of working with Google to preserve the tech giant’s market dominance in app distribution on Android smartphones.

Epic specifically targeted Samsung’s Auto Blocker security feature, which the company implemented in July as a default setting on all Samsung phones to prevent malicious software downloads but also blocks apps from competing stores, including Epic’s marketplace launched in August.

Epic alleged that Samsung’s Auto Blocker was designed to deter users from downloading applications from sources other than the Google Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store, effectively maintaining the duopoly between the two companies.

The feature impacts alternative app stores launched by Epic, Microsoft, and other companies seeking to compete with the established platforms.

The settlement removes Samsung from the broader antitrust case, though Google remains a defendant on several non-antitrust claims related to what Epic describes as continued efforts to discourage users from downloading apps outside the Google Play ecosystem.

Both Samsung and Google had previously denied wrongdoing in the case, with Google initially calling Epic’s lawsuit “meritless” and defending Android device makers’ freedom to implement user safety measures.

The resolution comes as Epic continues to face challenges with its own mobile app store launched in August to distribute games, including its blockbuster title Fortnite.

The company has struggled to attract users who gravitate toward phones’ default app stores, highlighting the practical barriers facing alternative marketplace operators even when legal restrictions are removed.

Epic’s settlement with Samsung follows the company’s successful 2023 jury trial victory against Google in a separate antitrust case over app distribution monopolisation on Android devices.

A federal judge ordered Google to lift restrictions preventing developers from establishing rival marketplaces and billing systems competing with the Google Play Store, though Google’s appeal of that ruling remains pending.

The timing of the Samsung settlement is notable as it occurs just days before Samsung’s expected announcement of new Galaxy phone models, potentially removing a legal distraction during a critical product launch period.

Neither Epic nor Samsung disclosed financial terms or specific commitments included in the settlement agreement.

The broader legal battle reflects ongoing tensions between major app developers and platform operators over market control and revenue-sharing arrangements.

Epic has positioned itself as a leading advocate for app store competition, challenging what it views as anticompetitive practices by both Apple and Google across multiple jurisdictions.

Epic’s partial victory against Google and now settlement with Samsung could influence other developers considering similar legal challenges against platform operators, though the company’s continued struggles to build market share for its alternative app store demonstrate the practical difficulties of competing with established ecosystems regardless of legal outcomes.