Epic Games has exciting news for mobile users this summer with the launch of its own digital store on iOS and Android, thanks to new EU regulations. The company has announced that it will be removing Fortnite and other Epic games from other stores to prepare for the launch of its own platform. This decision comes even if those stores offer special deals for their games.
Developers selling games on Epic’s new mobile store will be subject to a 12 percent fee, similar to its PC digital storefront. However, this fee can be reduced to zero if a developer uses a third-party payment system. Epic plans to end distribution partnerships with mobile stores that it considers to be “rent collectors” without competing fairly and serving all developers equally.
Fortnite and other Epic titles will also be pulled from the Samsung Galaxy Store in protest of Samsung’s anticompetitive decision to block side-loading by default. On the other hand, Epic will be bringing its mobile games to stores that offer fair deals to all developers, such as the indie-focused AltStore.
The main goal behind this move, according to Epic, is to support stores that provide great deals to all developers. By transitioning its games from major to minor competing stores, Epic will likely drive most Fortnite traffic to its own store, where it won’t have to share revenue with other platforms.
Epic has been trying to return to iOS since Fortnite was removed from Apple’s ecosystem in 2020. Legal battles with Apple in the US have not been successful, but the EU’s Digital Markets Act has opened up new opportunities for Epic to re-enter the market in Europe.
The Epic Games Store is expected to launch on iOS in the EU and Android worldwide later this year. Additionally, Fortnite and the Epic store will be available on iOS in the UK in the second half of 2025. However, the details around the UK’s new Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act are still being determined.
Overall, Epic’s decision to launch its own mobile store and remove its games from other platforms is a strategic move to gain more control over its games and revenue. This shift will likely benefit both Epic and developers in the long run.