Samsung Penalized $15 Million Over Deceptive Galaxy Gaming Ads

South Korea penalized Samsung about $15 million for concealing gaming performance limits on Galaxy devices.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 28, 2026 · 3:14 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission fined Samsung about $15 million on October 27.

The penalty addresses deceptive advertising regarding gaming performance on Galaxy S21, S22, and Tab S8 devices.

Samsung used a Game Optimizing Service that automatically restricted CPU and GPU power during demanding games.

Samsung released a software patch in March 2022 allowing users to bypass the restrictions.

Samsung plans to challenge the regulatory penalty through legal action.

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission penalized Samsung roughly $15 million on October 27 for deceiving buyers regarding the gaming capabilities of specific Galaxy smartphones and tablets. The regulator issued a fine of 20.1 billion won and instructed Samsung to fix its promotional methods, stating the company omitted information about performance caps on the Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy S22 series, and Galaxy Tab S8 series.

Samsung Accused of Hiding Performance Limits

The issue involves the Game Optimizing Service built into the devices to handle heat and performance during gaming sessions. The Fair Trade Commission stated that Samsung advertised top-tier gaming capabilities without telling buyers that the service automatically lowered processing power. The software restricted CPU and GPU performance immediately upon launching heavy games, regardless of actual device temperature.

Players subsequently encountered freezing, lag, and lower graphics quality. The regulator discovered the deceptive ads ran from January 2021 through March 2022 while omitting these limits from promotional materials.

Samsung Released an Update After Complaints

Anger grew among users after the Galaxy S22 line debuted in 2022. Samsung deployed a software patch in March 2022 letting users bypass the service limits following customer pushback. Nevertheless, the Fair Trade Commission concluded that prior marketing had already deceived buyers, taking Samsung's response into account when setting the fine.

Samsung Rejects the Decision

Samsung contested the regulatory ruling and intends to pursue legal action. The firm stated the service was meant to control heat and sustain stable performance during extended gaming. Samsung noted that heat management is standard for phone makers and the software aimed to enhance gaming rather than deceive buyers. The company also highlighted the release of an update allowing users to disable the limits shortly after the backlash started.

Previous Lawsuits Ended Without Compensation

The service controversy sparked lawsuits domestically and abroad. Approximately 1,800 Galaxy S22 users sued Samsung for compensation over the limits. A South Korean court acknowledged advertising concerns in June 2025 but threw out compensation demands because plaintiffs failed to prove financial losses. The dispute ended via court mediation in 2026, and parallel lawsuits in other nations were dropped. Samsung stated no court proved customers faced compensable damages from the ads, though the Fair Trade Commission penalty centers on whether Samsung adequately disclosed performance limits during promotions.

Questions and answers

How much was Samsung fined?

Samsung received a fine of 20.1 billion won, which is approximately $15 million.

What feature caused the controversy?

The controversy centers on the Game Optimizing Service, a built-in feature that automatically restricted CPU and GPU performance during demanding games.