In a surprising move, Epic Games has announced that it will be removing its popular game Fortnite and other titles from the Samsung Galaxy Store. This decision comes in response to Samsung’s recent policy change that blocks sideloading of apps by default on new Samsung Android devices.
Protest Against Anti-Competitive Practices
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney took to X (formerly Twitter) to express the company’s stance, stating, “Sadly, Fortnite and our other games will be leaving the Samsung Galaxy Store in protest of their new policy of blocking side-loading. 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.”The company views Samsung’s default setting as anti-competitive, as it prevents users from easily installing apps from unauthorized sources, effectively limiting their options.
Expanding to Other Mobile Stores
As part of its new strategy, Epic Games plans to bring Fortnite and its other mobile games to “other mobile stores that give all developers a great deal.” The company aims to end partnerships with mobile stores that it believes act as “rent collectors” and do not compete fairly or serve all developers equitably.Epic Games is preparing to launch its own Epic Games Store app on Android globally and on iOS in the European Union soon. The store will offer favorable terms for developers, including a 12% fee for payments processed by the store and 0% for third-party payments.
Positive Outlook for Samsung Devices
Despite the decision to remove Fortnite from the Samsung Galaxy Store, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney reassured users that the company will continue to support Samsung devices fully and wholeheartedly in the future. He also provided guidance on how players can restore their Fortnite save data and sync everything as new after uninstalling the game from the Galaxy Store.
Ongoing Battle for Fair Competition
Epic Games has been a vocal critic of major app stores like the App Store and Google Play, which take a 30% revenue cut from developers. The company has been actively fighting for fair competition in the mobile app ecosystem, as evidenced by its legal battles with Apple and Google.The removal of Fortnite from the Samsung Galaxy Store is seen as a continuation of Epic Games’ efforts to promote a more open and equitable mobile gaming landscape. As the company expands its presence on other mobile stores, it remains committed to supporting fair deals for developers and providing users with more choices.
