A South Korean court has fined Samsung over the way it promoted gaming performance on several Galaxy devices, finding that consumers were not clearly informed about limits imposed by the company’s Game Optimizing Service, or GOS.
The case concerns Samsung’s claims of a high-end gaming experience while GOS could automatically reduce CPU and GPU performance during demanding games. Authorities concluded that the undisclosed restrictions could mislead buyers.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 series
- Samsung Galaxy S22 series
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
Users had reported reduced performance, stuttering, delays and lower-than-expected graphics quality during games. The controversy drew scrutiny from South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, which accused Samsung of deceptive marketing practices.
Samsung has maintained that GOS is a safety measure intended to protect device stability and deliver more consistent performance during extended gaming sessions. In March 2022, the company issued a software update that allowed users to remove the limits imposed by GOS.
The company plans to appeal the court’s ruling and says other cases tied to the GOS controversy, in South Korea and elsewhere, have already been resolved or withdrawn. The outcome of that appeal will determine whether the fine stands.
