Epic Games Strikes Deal with Telefónica to Pre-Install Epic Games Store on Android Devices
Epic Games has recently announced a new partnership with European telecommunications company Telefónica, which will result in the pre-installation of the Epic Games Store on all new Android devices offered by Telefónica.
This collaboration means that customers in Spain, Spanish-speaking Latin America, Germany, and the UK who purchase Android devices from Telefónica will have immediate access to Epic Games’ library of games, with the goal of making Fortnite and the Epic Games Store more readily available on millions of Telefónica Android devices.
In a statement, Epic Games mentioned that Android users will now have easier access to download popular games like Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe, along with the promise of more third-party games to come in the future. The partnership with Telefónica is viewed as the beginning of a broader collaboration, with plans to bring additional benefits to mobile players within the Telefónica network over the next year.
The alliance between Epic Games and Telefónica aims to create a more competitive ecosystem for Android players, offering them a choice beyond traditional app marketplaces. This move comes in the wake of Apple’s decision to remove Fortnite from the App Store in 2020, following a dispute over payment mechanisms. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has been embroiled in a legal battle with Apple ever since.
Michael Modon, senior director of growth partnerships at Epic Games, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “Thanks to our partnership with Telefónica, players will now be able to access the Epic Games Store, Fortnite, and soon games from third-party developers directly on their Android device. We look forward to expanding our collaboration with Telefónica to bring even more benefits to players.”
Additionally, Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite Festival, a Rock Band-style mode within the game developed by Harmonix, will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future.