Since Google excluded Fortnite from its app store, downloading Fortnite on Android requires the use of its own downloader, the Epic Store. This app store is coming pre-installed on new Android devices from the Telefónica network in EuropeLatin America, United Kingdom and Germany.
Epic Games and Telefónica have announced a long-term collaboration that will bring the Epic App Store to Telefónica mobile phones. The star of this app store is Fortnitealthough Epic plans to make it a gaming-focused alternative to Google Play.
The Epic store, on Movistar mobile phones
Fortnite launched exclusively on the Galaxy Store, before later moving to Google Play, although it was a short-lived step. In 2020, Epic forced Apple and Google's hand by include your own payment system in Fortniteso they were banned from Google Play and the App Store.
Since then, Fortnite continues to be available in the Samsung and Huawei app stores, as well as directly from their website, via its own application store, the Epic Store. Installing this store without a Samsung or Huawei mobile requires a few additional steps, such as enabling the installation of applications from unknown sources.
Telefónica and Epic have now announced an agreement whereby The Epic Store will be pre-installed “on all new compatible Android devices on the Telefónica network in Europe, UK, Germany and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries”, thereby significantly reducing the hassle of using this app store to download games like Fortnite.
The Epic Store is not currently an alternative to the Google application store (you have no applications and only a few games), but the fact that it is pre-installed on a significant number of cell phones endanger the revenue Google earns from in-app purchases in games that also decide to make the jump to the Epic Store under the promise of fewer commissions.
He the impact for users will depend on tastes. There will be those who see more bloatware on their mobile and will be happy to be able to install Fortnite easily without having to take a lot of extra steps.
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