Telefonica Partners with Epic Games for Epic Games Store Integration
Telefonica has announced a partnership with Epic Games to integrate the “Epic Games Store” marketplace app directly onto millions of devices on the Spanish telecoms company’s network. This move will make it easier for users to access popular game titles such as “Fortnite”, “Fall Guys”, and “Rocket League Sideswipe” without relying on traditional app marketplaces like Google Play or Samsung’s Galaxy store.
The Epic Games Store will come pre-installed on all new compatible Android devices operating on the Telefonica network in regions including Spain, the UK, Germany, Mexico, and Spanish-speaking Latin America. This marks the first time that Epic’s Game Store will be pre-installed on Android devices, with plans to allow users to download third-party games in the future.
Epic Games has been working to expand the distribution of its video games beyond official app stores, accusing companies like Google and Samsung of stifling competition. Google Play policy communications manager Danielle Cohen responded by stating that developers like Epic have always had the option to work directly with carriers to preinstall their apps or app stores.
After a previous dispute with Google and Apple over app store commission fees, Fortnite was banned for nearly four years before returning to iPhones in the European Union and worldwide on Android devices in August. Epic and Telefonica have stated that they will continue to expand their partnership over the next year to bring more benefits to mobile players across the Telefonica network.
