This move marks Epic’s entry into the mobile gaming market and offers developers an alternative platform with a different revenue-sharing model. Steve Allison, the general manager of the Epic Games Store, emphasized that the company has been working tirelessly to overcome the challenges posed by mobile platform holders like Apple and Google.
This announcement comes amidst ongoing legal battles between Epic and these companies over app store policies.
The Epic Games Store on mobile will be the first games-focused, multiplatform marketplace, allowing users to access their Epic accounts across different devices. The store will feature popular titles like Fortnite and a selection of third-party games. Additionally, Epic will introduce new self-publishing tools tailored specifically for mobile developers.
The revenue split for developers on the Epic Games Store will remain the same on mobile as on PC, with developers receiving an 88/12 split in their favor. This is significantly lower than the 30% fee the App Store and Google Play charges. Developers will also have the option to use their own payment service providers for in-app purchases.
Teemu Haila, Co-founder & CPO, Metaplay commented:
“Alternative app stores are directly addressing the biggest issue for mobile game developers: lack of discovery. Epic now has the first mover advantage and will be the one to watch. With a more favourable revenue split for developers and the promise of a games-focused store, I am looking forward to seeing new types of games find new audiences in addition to the platforms and distribution channels we’re already so familiar with.”
Epic highlighted its success on PC, reporting over 270 million player accounts and 75 million monthly active users on the Epic Games Store by the end of 2023. Players spent a total of $950 million on the platform throughout the year.
