Epic Games has announced its decision to withdraw its presence from the Samsung Galaxy Store and similar platforms it refers to as “rent collectors.” This move is part of a broader strategy to partner with mobile storefronts that offer more favorable conditions for developers and avoid those imposing high fees without substantial competition.
Reason for the Shift
In a recent blog post, Epic Games explained its plan to expand its mobile game offerings, including Fortnite, to alternative app stores that provide a better deal for all developers. The company is set to end its collaboration with platforms it deems unfair or overly costly, even if those platforms offer special arrangements for Epic’s own games.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney shared on X (formerly Twitter), “We’ve outlined our new approach for distributing Epic’s games on mobile: not only through the upcoming Epic Games Store for mobile but also through other independent mobile stores that offer equitable terms for all developers, such as http://AltStore.io.”
We've announced our new strategy for bringing Epic's games to mobile stores: not only the soon-to-launch Epic Games Store for mobile, but also other independent mobile stores that give all developers a fair deal, including https://t.co/wX14FI47KZ.https://t.co/mp3lq3fFbc
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) July 25, 2024
Furthermore, Epic intends to support “at least two additional third-party stores” in the near future and is preparing to globally launch its Epic Games Store app on Android, with plans to debut on iOS in the EU soon.
Impact on Samsung Galaxy Store
Epic Games’ decision follows Samsung’s recent policy adjustment that blocks the default “sideloading” of apps on new Samsung Android devices. Although users can disable this setting, Epic perceives it as an anticompetitive measure and a departure from their previous collaboration, which included an exclusive Fortnite skin for Samsung Galaxy users in 2019.
Despite this, Epic maintains a positive outlook on its relationship with Samsung. Tim Sweeney reassured users that Epic will “continue to support Samsung devices fully and wholeheartedly now and in the future.” He also provided guidance for restoring Fortnite save data: “Uninstall the Samsung Galaxy Store version of Fortnite from your device, then visit http://Fortnite.com to install the Epic Games Launcher and Fortnite. Your game progress will be preserved.”
Sweeney has been a prominent critic of major app stores such as the App Store and Google Play, which charge a 30% commission on revenue, arguing that such fees are detrimental to developers.
