(Reuters) -Telefonica is partnering with Epic Games to bring the “Fortnite” video game maker’s marketplace app directly to millions of devices on the Spanish telecoms company’s network, the companies said on Thursday.
The marketplace app, called “Epic Games Store”, will be pre-installed on all new compatible Android devices operating on the Telefonica network across regions including Spain, the UK, Germany, Mexico and Spanish-speaking Latin America.
The companies said the move would allow players to more easily download game titles such as “Fortnite”, “Fall Guys” and “Rocket League Sideswipe” directly from Epic, rather than relying on conventional app marketplaces like Google’s Play or Samsung’s Galaxy store.
It marks the first time Epic’s Game Store will be pre-installed on Android devices.
Users will also be able to download third-party games in the future, the companies said.
Epic has been attempting to expand the distribution of its video games beyond smartphone companies’ official app stores. It has accused Alphabet’s Google and Samsung of stifling app store competition.
In a statement, Google Play policy communications manager Danielle Cohen said developers like Epic had always been able to work directly with carriers to preinstall their apps or app stores.
“All that has changed is that Epic understands it won’t receive a free ride on Play, so they’re finally pursuing the options that have been available to them all along,” she added.
Epic earlier had a face-off with Google and iPhone maker Apple over their rules of charging up to 30% commissions on app store payments. After getting banned for nearly four years, Fortnite returned to iPhones in the European Union and worldwide on Google’s Android devices in August.
Cary, North Carolina-based Epic and Telefonica said they would expand the partnership over the next year and “bring more benefits to mobile players across the Telefonica network”, without elaborating.
(Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Rosalba O’Brien)
