Epic has finally announced its own app store in the European Union. The new platform will undercut Apple with lower fees and host Epic’s mobile games, including Fortnite.
Epic and Apple have had a long-standing rivalry, which all started with the App Store’s high fees. However, the new EU tech rules have now allowed the Fortnite maker to launch its own app market. The Epic Games Store will only offer Epic’s games, including Fortnite, for now.
The company says it also plans to start onboarding third-party developers’ games beginning in December 2024.
Epic will make Fortnite available for download on both a new iPhone version of the Epic Games Store and through AltStore PAL, which is another third-party app store. The app market is also launching today for Android users worldwide.
European iPhone owners and global Android users will also be able to download Epic’s Rocket League Sideswipe and a new title, a mobile version of Fall Guys, from the Epic Games Store.
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Epic CEO Tim Sweeney hailed the arrival of the Epic Games Store to iOS as a way to fix the “largely broken” mobile gaming industry, as reported by Wired. “Competition wouldn’t crush Apple’s App Store,” he said, “It would force Apple to compete with better prices and with better features and better promotions and better marketing deals and less advertising.”
Epic says its app store will take a maximum 12 percent commission on sales, undercutting Apple’s App Store, where fees can reach up to 30 percent.
Epic is bringing its app store to the EU thanks to the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations. The law forces tech giants to open up their platforms, giving rivals more access to their user base.
As a result, Apple must now allow alternative app stores on European devices. iPhone users outside the EU won’t be able to use the new Epic Games Store.