Summary
- Epic Games Store will launch on iOS and Android with fair terms for all devs, including a 12% commission fee.
- Developers can distribute free games without fees & use their own payment processor to keep 100% of revenue.
- Epic aims to launch the app store later this year and hopes to attract third-party game developers to list games on its multi-platform store.
The European Union’s DMA (Digital Markets Act) has forced Apple and Google to make significant platform changes. Due to the regulation, both companies must open their mobile OS to third-party app stores and provide alternative billing options to app developers. Many of these changes were made possible by Epic taking a stand against Apple’s bullying and suing it. Epic had also made it clear multiple times during the course of the lawsuit that it wants to launch its app store on iOS. As it turns out, the Epic Games Store is also coming to Android.
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In a post on X, the Epic Games Store confirmed it will launch on both iOS and Android. The store will provide the same “fair terms” for all developers and feature “amazing games for everyone.”
At the ongoing Game Developers Conference (GDC), though, Epic provided more information about its revenue sharing percentage (via 9to5Mac). Like its game store for Windows and Mac, the Epic Games Store will charge a 12% commission from sales. For the first six months, this fee will be removed.
Developers will not pay any fees to distribute free games. They are also free to use their own payment processor, allowing them to keep 100% of the revenue and avoid the 12% commission. All these regulations sound promising and could help Epic Games attract developers to list games on its iOS and Android app stores.
The Epic Games Store will launch on Android and iOS later this year. Apart from hosting all of Epic’s own games, including Fortnite, it should list games from third-party game developers.
Epic Games Store’s success will depend on third-party developers
The Epic Games Store could become the first multi-platform app store available on all major platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. By syncing purchases and saved game data across platforms, Epic could make its app store a compelling alternative to Apple and Google’s app store for developers and users alike.
Its success will also depend on the quality of games available. Unlike on iPhone, there are several third-party app stores for Android. However, none are as successful as the Play Store due to a limited selection of apps and games. Epic’s favorable revenue split and other developer-focused incentives could change this, but this is something that only time will tell.