Why did the FTC say Samsung’s Galaxy gaming advertisements were misleading?

Samsung highlighted gaming capabilities but did not disclose that GOS imposed preset performance limits when certain demanding games launched. The FTC said the limits applied regardless of device conditions and could reduce gameplay quality, while consumers considered gaming performance when choosing premium devices.

How did Samsung’s GOS affect Galaxy S21 and S22 gaming performance?

GOS was a heat management system for gaming apps, but its game-specific policies capped CPU and GPU performance regardless of temperature or other conditions. The FTC said this could lead to freezes, lag and reduced graphics quality during gameplay.

What did Samsung do to address the GOS performance limits?

Samsung released software updates in March 2022 that allowed users to lift the performance limits. The FTC said the restrictions had applied regardless of device conditions before those updates.

FTC to slap $15.1 mil. fine on Samsung Electronics for misleading gaming ads

Listen

Summary

The Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday it had decided to impose a tentative 20 billion won ($15.1 million) fine on Samsung Electronics for ads that promoted gaming performance without disclosing limits imposed by its game optimizing service. The decision covers the Galaxy S21 and S22 smartphone series and Galaxy Tab S8 tablet series. The FTC said the restrictions could cause freezes, lag and lower graphics quality, and hindered consumers’ purchasing decisions. Samsung released software updates in March 2022 that let users lift the limits.

Key Facts

The Galaxy S21 and S22 series were released in 2021 and 2022, respectively, while the Galaxy Tab S8 series launched in 2022.
The FTC said GOS applied game-specific caps to maximum CPU and GPU performance regardless of device temperature or other conditions.
Samsung’s 2021–2022 marketing included claims about a 5-nanometer application processor and a 120Hz display.
The FTC said the conduct constituted deceptive labeling or advertising under the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 27, 2026 12:13 pm KST

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 smartphones are displayed at the Samsung Electronics booth during the Korea Electronics Show 2026 at the COEX convention and exhibition centre in Seoul, Oct. 13. AFP-Yonhap

Korea's antitrust watchdog said Tuesday it has decided to impose a tentative fine of 20 billion won ($15.1 million) on Samsung Electronics Co. for misleading advertisements concealing features limiting the performance of its Galaxy S21 and S22 smartphones during gaming.

The Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) decision concerns the two smartphone series, released in 2021 and 2022, respectively, along with the Galaxy Tab S8 tablet series launched in 2022.

According to the FTC, the South Korean tech giant failed to disclose that its game optimizing service (GOS) imposed preset performance limits as soon as certain demanding gaming apps were launched, while promoting the products' advanced gaming capabilities in advertisements.

GOS is a heat management system for gaming apps. Under its game-specific policies, it capped maximum CPU and GPU performance regardless of the device's temperature or other conditions.

The limitations could cause freezes, lag and reduced graphics quality during gameplay, the FTC said.

"When Samsung Electronics began releasing such advertisements around 2021, high-end PC games were being adapted for mobile devices, and the market for premium smart devices offering high performance was growing rapidly," the FTC said.

"Gaming performance was one of the most effective indicators for showcasing the capabilities of premium smart devices through rapid screen transitions and elaborate graphical effects," the FTC pointed out. "Thus, numerous smart device manufacturers emphasized gaming performance in their advertisements."

The FTC said consumers tended to place importance on gaming capabilities when deciding whether to purchase premium devices amid such market conditions.

The watchdog then said that from 2021 to 2022, Samsung Electronics used marketing phrases such as "the fastest 5-nanometer AP in a Galaxy device yet to hard-carry your gaming" and "the ultimate mobile gaming experience, with a 120Hz display delivering rapid screen transitions and responding instantly to touch."

However, the FTC said GOS limited performance regardless of the devices' conditions, with Samsung Electronics failing to disclose such restrictions while only highlighting the products' gaming experiences.

The watchdog said such misleading marketing hindered consumers' ability to make reasonable purchasing decisions and constituted "deceptive labeling or advertising" under the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising.

"The latest decision is significant as it reaffirms the need by companies to clearly inform consumers of important factors affecting performance when certain features are emphasized in advertisements," the FTC said.

Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, released software updates in March 2022 allowing users to lift the performance limits.

Explore More