Epic Games has disclosed during the State of Unreal event that its digital storefront will reach iOS and Android devices in 2024.
Epic’s Mobile Expansion
Annually, Epic delivers an opening keynote at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to showcase the latest advancements in its Unreal Engine game engine and overall business.
This year, it announced a significant move towards the mobile market by creating its own mobile store, set to launch later this year, thus sidestepping the stringent regulations imposed by companies like Apple and Google.
The Multiplatform Gaming Marketplace
Steve Allison, General Manager of Epic Games, explained that the app will be the “first multi-platform gaming-centric marketplace” and expressed their unwavering struggle against the overseers of the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Enhanced Offerings for Developers and Gamers
The Epic Games Store will feature the customary array of external developers, ensuring a substantial catalog of games for players to enjoy. This move promises a better deal for players, developers, publishers, and, of course, the company itself.
Developer Benefits and Regional Availability
Developers will enjoy the same benefits on the mobile version of the Epic Games Store as on the PC and Mac versions. This includes an 88/12 revenue split in favor of studios publishing on the store, along with 100% of revenue during the first 6 months for developers, and access to Epic Rewards program for qualifying purchases.
Moreover, developers won’t have to pay to use Epic’s Unreal Engine when sales are processed through the store’s payment system.
The regional availability of the Epic Games Store has not been publicly mentioned. However, due to the Digital Markets Act in Europe, which requires mobile OS gatekeepers to allow third-party app stores, it is expected that the Epic Games Store will be available only in the European Union on iOS.
As for Android, distribution is not limited to the Play Store, though Google has always favored its application against phone manufacturers.
Legal Battles and Market Impact
Epic accused Google of turning the Play Store into an illegal monopoly and subsequently won the lawsuit. Therefore, launching its own store and bringing Fortnite back to Android is something that Epic Games, led by Tim Sweeney, will likely celebrate with great enthusiasm.
Recently, Apple made headlines by suspending Epic Games’ developer account. Tim Sweeney’s company claimed that the decision was retaliation for publicly criticizing them. This caused such a stir that even the European Commission intervened, and the account was quickly restored.
Growing Mobile Gaming Market
In recent years, the mobile gaming market has grown exponentially. Billions of mobile gamers enjoy everything from casual titles to AAA games, and even the Esports industry has some incredibly popular mobile games at its core.
Epic Games has committed to making a mobile version of the Epic Games Store available before the end of 2024.
Apple Restores Developer Account to Epic, Fortnite Coming to iOS