Fortnite Maker Epic brings Game Store to millions of Android devices
Telecom giant Telefónica is teaming up with Epic Games to bring the video game maker’s marketplace app “Fortnite” directly to millions of devices on the Spanish company’s network, the companies said Thursday.
The marketplace app, called “Epic Games Store,” will be pre-installed on all new compatible Android devices operating on the Telefonica network in regions such as Spain, the UK, Germany, Mexico and Spanish-speaking Latin America.
The move will make it easier for players to download game titles including Fortnite, “Fall Guys” and “Rocket League Sideswipe” directly from Epic’s store, rather than relying on conventional app marketplaces like Google’s Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store.
It’s also the first time that Epic’s game store will come pre-installed on Android devices.
Users will also be able to download third-party games in the future, the companies said.
The partnership is also a win for Epic, which has sought to expand distribution of its video games beyond smartphone companies’ official app stores and has accused Alphabet’s Google and Samsung of stifling competition in the app stores.
Epic Games previously feuded with Google and iPhone maker Apple over their rules for charging commissions of up to 30 percent on app store payments. After being banned for nearly four years, Fortnite returned to iPhones in the European Union and globally on Google’s Android devices in August.
Epic and Telefonica, based in Cary, North Carolina, said they would expand the partnership over the coming year and “bring more benefits to mobile players in the Telefonica network,” without elaborating further.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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