One of the most exciting developments resulting from Apple allowing alternative app stores on its devices in the European Union is Epic Games’ involvement. The Fortnite studio launched its own mobile app store for iOS on August 16th, but it turns out the launch was just the beginning. As reported by mobilegamer.biz (via Engadget), Epic announced at Unreal Fest in Seattle this week that its free games program will come to mobile as well.
On Epic’s PC store, users have been getting free games every week for many years. Some of the biggest games Epic has given away on PC this year include The Callisto Protocol, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and The Outer Worlds.
“The free games program will launch in Q4 along with the third-party apps showing up,” said Epic’s Steve Allison, “and we’re going to have some awesome stuff for players that will also be awesome for developers because it’ll help us scale really quickly.”
When Epic launched its Epic Games Store on PC, it had to contend with the juggernaut that is Steam. One of the ways the company found an early audience was by tempting them with free games, which has now been going on since 2019.
Competing with Apple’s App Store is perhaps just as daunting, but giving away premium games to iPhone and iPad owners could certainly give Epic the ability to make a dent.
Additionally, Allison announced that “between 10 and 50” third-party games will be available on its mobile Epic Games Store by the end of the year, self-publishing tools are coming to the store in the first half of 2025, and social and party features are in the works.
