The Battle for Access to Epic Games Titles on Mobile Devices Intensifies
The war of access to Epic Games titles — including Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe — on mobile devices has escalated, with new options for gamers. The company announced on Friday that it’s launching its Epic Games Store on Android devices worldwide and is providing users with instructions on how to install it on iOS devices in Europe, where Apple can’t block its installation.
The game publisher, engaged in a long-standing battle with Apple over App Store fees and restrictions, is fulfilling its promise to bring its Epic Game Store to iPhones in Europe after Apple’s concession in that region. Europe’s stricter anticompetition and privacy laws have created an opportunity for Epic to offer its Game Store there.
However, the process of installing the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android devices is not as straightforward as finding it in Apple’s App Store. Users will need to follow a multistep process to get it onto their iOS devices, as demonstrated in a YouTube video posted by Epic Games.
Despite making its Game Store available worldwide on Android devices, Epic Games criticized both iOS and Android platforms in its announcement, citing cumbersome user experiences. The company has also faced legal disputes with Google over its Play Store policies.
“For now, the process of installing the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android is lengthy due to intentionally poor-quality install experiences introduced by Apple and Google, including multiple steps, confusing device settings, and scare screens,” Epic stated. “We are actively fighting in courts and collaborating with regulators globally to eliminate the anticompetitive terms imposed by Apple and Google on developers and consumers, in order to create a better store for everyone.”
In addition to these launches, Epic Games is making its mobile games available on the AltStore PAL platform, a game storefront in European countries for iOS devices. The company also has plans to launch on Aptoide’s iOS app in Europe and One Store for Android, along with other third-party stores.
“The DMA required us to enable new capabilities for developers in the EU, and we have worked to make them as user-friendly as possible while prioritizing user privacy and security,” Apple stated in an email, referring to the European Digital Markets Act.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
