Epic Games Store has taken a significant step in its expansion strategy by opening up its free-to-play games program to mobile devices. Now, users of Android y iOS will be able to enjoy titles at no cost, a move that seeks to strengthen the platform's presence in the competitive smartphone gaming market.
Until now, this functionality was reserved exclusively for PCs, where the store already has a solid user base. However, the company, known for its innovative approach, has decided to bring this same proposition to mobile devices, allowing its users to enjoy outstanding titles for free.
First free titles available on mobile
Starting this month, the Epic Games Store has kicked off its free-to-play mobile games program with two highly-regarded titles: Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee y Bloons TD 6. The first, a game that combines tower defense elements to dungeon exploration, will be available until February 20. The second, known for its strategic gameplay Tower Defense will be added to the program shortly, thus expanding the range of free mobile titles.
These games will be available through the Epic Games mobile app, which can be downloaded directly from its official website via an APK file in the case of Android. For iOS users, access is limited to the European Union, due to restrictions on distribution of applications outside the App Store.
A model inspired by its successful PC strategy
The model of giving away games on PC has been widely accepted by players and has become a key strategy for the Epic Games Store in the competition against other platforms such as Steam. Now, this formula is being replicated in the mobile realm, offering a monthly free game with the intention of moving to a weekly frequency later this year.
This movement not only seeks to attract new users, but also encourage loyalty among existing players. Also, the arrival of third party games to the mobile platform marks another important milestone, with an initial catalogue of almost 20 titles, including Super Meat Boy Forever, Evoland 2, and Hidden Folks.
Regulatory challenges and their impact on expansion
Despite the enthusiasm for this expansion, Epic Games faces several regulatory challenges, especially related to Apple's policies. The company has noted that the basic technology rate (CTF) that Apple imposes on developers, equivalent to 0,50 euros per installation once an application exceeds one million downloads, represents a significant obstacle.
To mitigate this problem and ease the transition of developers to its platform, Epic Games has committed to absorbing this fee for the first year. However, they have acknowledged that this measure is not sustainable in the long term and have requested the intervention of regulatory bodies such as the European Commission to ensure a more competitive environment.
In the case of Android, the installation of the Epic Games mobile store also presents complications due to the Google Play restrictionsAccording to the company, more than 50% of users do not complete the installation process due to intimidating ads that appear on their devices.
With this program, Epic Games is looking to position itself as a multi-platform store, allowing users to enjoy its games on PC and mobile, using a single account that syncs all their purchases and progress. This approach has already been enthusiastically embraced by PC gamers and could replicate that success on mobile devices.
The expansion of the Epic Games Store into the mobile universe represents a great opportunity for users to access quality titles at no cost while challenging the traditional rules of the market. Although the road ahead presents difficulties, the company's strategy could mark a before and after in the way we consume video games on our smartphones.