Epic has found its ideal battleground on mobile, so can it carry the day?

• The Epic Games Store is out now on mobile, in a major victory for the developer
• But the battle is far from won, and they have a long way to go to prove their success
• And will Apple just roll over and let it happen? Not likely

With the arrival of the Epic Games Store on mobile, a years-long saga seems to be coming to an end. Ever since Epic first threw down the gauntlet to Apple and Google by allowing players to purchase V-bucks directly from them, there’s been an ongoing legal battle that’s captivated the industry and players alike.

We could go over it in detail, but frankly, that’s a subject for an entire other article.

In brief, however, things have now changed massively from the opening salvos launched in 2020. For one, being able to purchase in-app items and currencies directly from a developer has become a widespread practice, with major developers like Supercell getting in on the action. And now, Apple’s final line of defence has begun to break with their arch-nemesis now able to establish their own storefront on mobile, bypassing all the previous restrictions they railed against.

It should be a major victory for Epic Games. But for them, the battle is far from over, so what can we expect now with the purported rise of the third-party storefront on mobile? Let’s discuss.

Epic Games on mobile

First, a (really) brief primer for those of you unfamiliar. Epic Games decides to let players purchase V-bucks from them directly for Fortnite, bypassing Apple’s 30% transaction fee. Apple (and Google) respond by nixing Fortnite from the app store, kicking off a huge legal battle. Judgements go back and forth, the EU and US regulators take notice, and slowly things begin to change. 

You can check out our sister site, the business-focused PocketGamer.biz for more of the background on the Epic v Apple saga.

Where are we now?

The Epic Games Store, ultimately, now joins other burgeoning alternative app stores on mobile - on Android worldwide and EU-only for iOS. It’s not available directly through the official iOS App Store of course, but has to be sideloaded (another major change in recent years) by the user themselves. But it is available, and Epic have chosen to accompany this launch by bringing their other battle royale Fall Guys to mobile for the first time.

Right now, the battle has been won but not the war. Epic now has full access to Android worldwide, and iOS in the EU. But now they need to show that they actually belong there. After all, this isn’t the first time Epic has fought tooth and nail to try and take on another major service.

Epic v Steam

When Epic last took on a major gaming service it was PC mainstay Steam, with similar arguments levelled against the 30% fee taken from developer sales and the fact that Steam is, and remains, one of if not the most popular storefronts for desktop gaming. To combat them, Epic Games deployed their flagship storefront, with a suite of exclusives and freebies every month.

However, even years on, the Epic Games Store has barely captured a sliver of the popularity Steam retains. It struggled with basic functionality coming out of the gate and continues to lack the community-driven engagement that Steam has built itself on. The EGS was basically living proof that you can’t just throw money at a problem and suddenly become popular overnight.

But, I don’t think we will see a repeat of this on mobile.

Why mobile is different

The fact is, Apple and Valve are basically an apples to oranges comparison. Valve has managed to keep Steam ahead of any competition by offering a competitive and, I think it’s fair to say, good service for all involved. Apple, meanwhile has (as Sweeney often complains) maintained its position by just as much chicanery as worthwhile consumer-friendly practices.

I doubt you’ll find anyone who is as loyal to the iOS App Store as they are to Steam, and even die-hard Apple fanatics are almost always more focused on the hardware than the storefront. That and the average mobile player is a lot more willing to take chances on what’s new and unusual than a PC player, in my opinion.

Ultimately, for mobile both developers and players are eager to try something new. Developers are hungry for the Epic money because of how much more competitive mobile is, and players have had to settle with the default for so long now that any minor concession on a new storefront is sure to be like blood in the water to them.

Our editor Dann went over a lot of these factors in detail (including a quick timeline of all the legal stuff), but I would say there is only one factor I disagree with him on. He says that this is not a David v Goliath battle, which is true. But it’s worth noting that I don’t think Apple’s (or Google’s) continued attempts to defend their little walled garden is solely a battle about games.

At the expense of gaming

Again, further to what I said about Apple fanatics being more about hardware than something like the App Store, it’s worth noting that Apple is not just devoted to gaming when it comes to software. I reckon their defence of the App Store is in part so stubborn because they also have to take into account all the other apps being sold on their storefront.

That may also contribute somewhat to an issue in the future for Epic. I think it’s fair to say that mobile gaming is mainly based on convenience, as even the more hardcore players are often a little more casual than some of those on PC, or console for that matter. It’s a lot easier to devote a significant amount of time to checking in often on a game when it’s on your phone than staying cooped up on your desktop, after all.

But that does mean Epic, being so gaming-focused, will need to concentrate mainly on bringing in prospective players.

The issues Epic can still face

Yes, Epic isn’t out of the woods yet. There are still plenty of problems they’ll need to overcome in order to get the Epic Games Mobile Store properly established, let alone successful. Chief among these is actually getting players to install the storefront in the first place.

The Epic Games Store needs to rely on sideloading since it isn’t available directly through the already-established storefronts. And I don’t need to tell you that, for some people, anything more technologically advanced than attaching a Word file to an email is like magic to them.

Now, Epic has anticipated this with some nifty videos on their YouTube channel that give prospective players a step-by-step guide on installing these storefronts. But that’s for people who are already seeking them out. What about players who’ve only heard of Fortnite, but don’t care enough about it to go through the rigmarole of sideloading a whole new store?

Which brings us to discoverability. Apple has already had it in the neck for slapping security warnings on virtually every new storefront or sideloaded app they now have to allow, and while most people will just brush them off there’s sure to be plenty of other people who baulk at these warning signs.

Diversifying the playing field

Of course, Epic seems to have learned from their mistakes in taking on Steam. In this case, they’re not just putting all the weight of taking on Apple on their own soldiers, they’re also establishing a wider playing field as well. Look no further than their endorsement and grant for the AltStore PAL which meant that storefront no longer has to rely on a subscription fee, increasing the appeal for casual users.

Epic Games seems to realise that this battle with Apple, Google and beyond won’t work for them unless they manage to change the way that people approach storefronts. That means not just having their own store in the running, but others as well. Because if the idea of using multiple storefronts rather than the one your phone comes loaded with can take root, that’ll be what boosts the Fortnite developer back up to the top of the mobile game.

Not only that, but Epic has also brought Fall Guys to the AltStore, showing they’re willing to farm out some of their games rather than keep them exclusive. This could be a major game changer (pun intended) by allowing players to access games on multiple alternative storefronts, and Epic could also be keeping an eye on how Fall Guys performs on those fronts compared to their own to inform their future approach to releases.

Conclusion

So yes, the Epic Games Store on mobile does represent a major new epoch, but it’s not a one-and-done, and it’ll take many months if not years before we see what these changes are enacting. For now, however, I reckon the future is bright regardless. Because whether or not this encourages Apple to change for the better, or ends with their store being overshadowed by stronger alternatives, it means that the average consumer like you and me has more choice than ever before.