Fortnite maker Epic will swerve mobile platforms it claims are ‘rent collectors’

Epic plans on bringing Fortnite and other mobile titles to a litany of storefronts, but not those it views as “rent collectors” in disguise.

The company outlined its new strategy in a blog post and explained it will support marketplaces that offer “all developers a great deal” while ending partnership with some others—including the Samsung Galaxy Store.

“Today, we’re announcing that Epic plans to bring our own mobile games including Fortnite to other mobile stores that give all developers a great deal. And, we will be ending distribution partnerships with mobile stores that serve as rent collectors without competing robustly and serving all developers fairly, even if those stores offer us a special deal for our own games,” it wrote.

Fortnite is coming back to the EU iOS storeThe company reiterated that Fortnite will be returning to iOS in the European Union soon, while the Epic Games Store is also heading to Android worldwide and iOS in the EU. Those moves come after a new Digital Markets Act was introduced across EU territories, offering third-party app stores and payments a route onto major mobile platforms such as iOS and Google Play.

Epic intends to take advantage of those new freedoms by bringing its mobile titles to AltStore on iOS in the EU. It will also expects to announce support for “at least two other third-party stores” soon.

Elaborating on its decision to abandon the Samsung Galaxy Store, Epic said it was “sad” to be ditching the platform but claimed the move is a result of Samsung’s “anticompetitive decision to block side-loading by default” on Android devices.

“Sadly, Fortnite and our other games will be leaving the Samsung Galaxy Store in protest of their new policy of blocking side-loading,” said Epic boss Tim Sweeney on X. “This change obstructs users from installing competing stores and is an issue we fought and won in the US Epic v Google US antitrust trial.”

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News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.