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Epic Games confirms the availability of free mobile games to users

Epic Games is set to shake up the world of mobile gaming by offering free mobile games on its platform later this year, directly challenging the dominance of the Google Play Store. Known for popular titles such as Fortnite and Fall Guys, the gaming giant announced its plans during the Unreal Fest event in Seattle, signaling a significant entry into the mobile gaming space.

Since its launch in 2018, the Epic Games Store has become a favorite among PC gamers, offering free games every week. The company is now making this popular feature available to mobile users, allowing them to enjoy a variety of free third-party titles on their mobile devices. This is an important step in Epic’s mission to grow the ecosystem and offer a compelling alternative to traditional app stores such as Google Play and Apple’s App Store.

Epic Games confirms the availability of free mobile games to users

During the Unreal Fest roundtable, Steve Allison, Epic Games CEO revealed that the company plans to launch 10 to 50 free third-party mobile games by the end of the year. One of the first launches on the mobile store is expected to be Ark: Ultimate Mobile Edition, the popular survival adventure game. However, Allison warned that the launch may be delayed due to ongoing development of the new payment solution. This payment system is crucial for implementation and may postpone the release of some games until the first months of 2025.

“We will launch our first third-party applications during the holiday season. We probably expect there will be 10 to 50 of them, and the biggest challenge will be implementing a payment solution that could postpone some of them to the next months,” Allison explained in an interview for Men’s Journal.

Epic Games is also working to improve its platform’s social features, offering cross-platform multiplayer options and in-game chat. These features will enable players to collaborate and compete across devices, providing a seamless experience that mirrors what PC gamers have long enjoyed on the Epic platform. Cross-platform interoperability is a top priority for Epic, allowing players from different systems to connect, whether on desktop or mobile.

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In addition to expanding its game library, Epic Games is developing self-publishing tools for developers. These tools would allow developers to publish their games on the Epic Games Store without having to communicate directly with the company. This could simplify the publishing process for smaller developers and attract a wider range of games to the platform.

Epic’s entry into the mobile gaming market comes amid ongoing legal battles with tech giants Google AND SAMSUNG. The company accused both companies of restricting consumers from installing apps from third-party stores and filed a second antitrust lawsuit against them. This new lawsuit follows a similar antitrust case Epic filed against Google four years ago, part of the company’s broader effort to break down barriers in the mobile app market.

With these ambitious plans, Epic Games is ready to challenge the status quo in the mobile gaming industry by offering greater choice and flexibility for developers and gamers alike.