Epic Games launches alternative Android distribution channel; here’s what it means for users

Epic Games, the studio behind Unreal Tournament and Fortnite, has launched a new distribution method for Android devices. With this method, the company is aiming to expand beyond competing with Steam. The new service offers Android users an alternative way to access and install games outside of traditional app stores, bypassing existing distribution channels. According to a report by HowToGeek, some users have already started using the Epic Games Store on Android to purchase titles like Figment 1 & 2 and The Forest Quartet, which aren’t yet available on Google Play. However, for iPhone and iPad users living outside the European Union (EU), there’s no such option for expanded access to games.

In regions outside, Apple exclusively governs the distribution of apps on iPhones as it manages how users purchase, download, discover, and update software. The company maintains that its rigorous App Store review process enforces strict developer policies, yielding a more secure ecosystem. While this model does enhance security, it also constrains consumer choice. To compare, macOS offers alternative marketplaces such as Steam that coexist alongside Apple’s App Store.
Epic’s First Run program offers developers 100% net revenue for the first six months of exclusivity, dropping to an 88/12 split afterwards—potentially swaying creators wary of Apple’s 30% cut. Such incentives can broaden app availability, spur healthy competition among app stores, and pressure Apple to offer better terms.
Although this may fragment purchases across platforms, automatic updates and cross-buy features (as seen with titles like Assassin’s Creed: Shadows on Apple devices) help mitigate user inconvenience.
The report argues that the App Store’s overcrowded marketplace and uninspiring charts also make it hard for users to discover quality apps and games, pushing them to rely on social media, web searches, or news coverage instead of pure browsing.
In contrast, Steam excels at game discovery through a curated front page, personalised recommendations based on purchase history, significant discounts, early‐access highlights, and a wishlist feature—tools the App Store once offered but later removed. These tools suggest that a dedicated, game-focused storefront on mobile could dramatically improve the user experience.