In a significant move for the gaming industry, Epic Games has forged a partnership with Telefónica, a prominent global telecommunications provider. This collaboration will see the Epic Game Store pre-loaded onto every Android device offered by Telefónica, marking a new chapter in mobile gaming accessibility.
What you need to know
- Epic and Telefónica announced a new partnership that will see the Epic Game Store pre-loaded onto every device in its cell service.
- Users in Spain, the U.K., Germany, Mexico, and Spanish-speaking LATAM countries will have third-party access to Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe.
- Epic states this will encourage users to be exposed to more choices aside from the “conventional app marketplaces.”
- Epic and Google have had a long and storied history together in court as the former submitted lawsuits for anti-competitive practices.
As of December 12, this partnership is poised to bring Epic’s popular titles to millions of users across key markets in Europe and Latin America. The pre-loaded Epic Game Store will allow Android users on Telefónica’s network to easily access and enjoy games like Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe, bypassing some of the hurdles typically associated with traditional app marketplaces.
This initiative is not merely a one-off; both companies are looking ahead to 2025, where they plan to expand their collaboration further, aiming to deliver even more benefits to Android gamers. Epic’s strategy appears to be rooted in providing a more equitable gaming experience, challenging the status quo of app distribution and monetization.
Interestingly, this partnership follows Epic’s previous attempts to collaborate with manufacturers such as OnePlus and LG, which were thwarted by Google. Concerns arose that Epic might implement a silent installation process that could bypass the Google Play Store, thus impacting Google’s revenue model.
The backdrop of this partnership is Epic’s ongoing legal battles with Google, which began in 2020 when Fortnite was removed from the Play Store after Epic introduced a direct payment option for its in-game currency, V-Bucks. This move was seen as a violation of Google’s policies, which impose a substantial fee on transactions. Epic’s legal journey culminated in a notable antitrust victory against Google, where a judge ruled that the tech giant had engaged in monopolistic practices within the Play Store.
With the launch of the Epic Game Store on Android, Epic is clearly focused on redefining the gaming landscape. The company aims to offer a fairer revenue split for developers, maintaining an 88/12 model for purchases, which contrasts sharply with the 15% to 30% fees imposed by Google. This commitment to developers and gamers alike signals Epic’s determination to reshape the future of mobile gaming.
