Samsung Faces Tentative 20 Billion Won Fine Over Galaxy Gaming Ads

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has decided to impose a tentative fine of 20 billion won (about US$15.1 million) on Samsung Electronics over advertising for the Galaxy S21 and S22 smartphone series and Galaxy Tab S8 tablets. The regulator says the promotions highlighted gaming performance without disclosing preset limits imposed by Samsung's Game Optimizing Service, or GOS.

What the regulator found

According to the FTC account reported by Yonhap, GOS capped maximum CPU and GPU performance for certain demanding games under game-specific policies, regardless of the device's temperature or other conditions. The FTC said those restrictions could contribute to freezes, lag and reduced graphics quality, while Samsung's marketing promoted fast gaming and rapid screen response.

The decision concerns Galaxy S21 devices released in 2021, Galaxy S22 devices released in 2022 and the Galaxy Tab S8 series launched in 2022. Yonhap reports that the FTC treated the undisclosed limits as deceptive labeling or advertising under South Korea's Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising.

Samsung's response

Samsung said GOS was designed to optimize gaming performance and support stable play over extended sessions. The company said software updates released in March 2022 allowed users to lift the performance limits, and it plans to defend its position through legal procedures.

The reported action is tentative and regulatory, rather than a final court judgment. Samsung's legal response remains pending.

Sources

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_being_fined_in_south_korea_over_galaxy_s21_and_s22s_gaming_performance-news-75225.php
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261027003351320
https://www.theverge.com/22922615/samsung-galaxy-s22-plus-ultra-specs-comparison-vs-differences