Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced on Thursday via Twitter that the Epic Games Store for Android will soon be available on the Google Play Store. This development comes on the heels of a recent victory in court, where a Ninth Circuit panel upheld a jury’s 2023 verdict labeling Google’s app store and payment system as illegal monopolies, a decision that Google is planning to appeal.
While a timeline for the release remains unclear, the move could significantly simplify the process for Android users to access popular titles like Fortnite without the need to sideload apps or negotiate pre-installed options with device manufacturers. Currently, the mobile version of the Epic Games Store is limited to users in the European Union, although Android users have been able to sideload it from the web since last fall.
Epic may pave the way for other competitors to establish app stores on the Google Play platform. The Ninth Circuit’s decision lifted a stay on a permanent injunction that Epic secured against Google, which could open the Android marketplace to additional third-party app stores. “The stay is lifted,” confirmed Epic spokesperson Cat McCormack to Technology News.
The Epic Games Store on Android enables users to keep their gaming progress consistent across various platforms. Additionally, Epic introduced its weekly free games program to mobile earlier this year, along with other titles such as Fall Guys and Rocket League Sideswipe.
In response to the ruling, Google’s global head of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, expressed concerns about potential implications for user safety and innovation within the Android ecosystem. In a statement to Technology News, Mulholland remarked, “This decision will significantly harm user safety, limit choice, and undermine the innovation that has always been central to the Android ecosystem. Our top priority remains protecting our users, developers and partners, and maintaining a secure platform as we continue our appeal.”
