'This is just the beginning, and over the next year the companies plan to expand the partnership and bring more benefits to mobile players across the Telefónica network.'
Epic Games has teamed with telecommunications provider Telefónica to ensure its titular store and Fortnite both come preinstalled on Android phones. This "long-term partnership" applies to players under the Telefónica network in the UK, Germany, Spain, and Spanish-speaking territories of Latin America.
In its announcement, Epic says the partnership "makes Fortnite and the Epic Games Store more accessible on millions of Telefónica Android devices. [...] This strategic alliance aims to provide a more competitive ecosystem for Android players, empowering them with a choice beyond the conventional app marketplaces."
Telefónica operates in Europe and Latin America, and Epic said the provider was the first mobile carrier to implement direct carrier billing in the Epic Games Store. The two also previously teamed on an interactive music experience within Fortnite.
Under the deal, players in those regions have easier access to Epic's storefront and battle royale, plus Rocket League and third-party games.
Both Epic and CEO Tim Sweeney have repeatedly preached the dream of an open app marketplace for phones. The EGS and Fortnite are on (or will be) iOS in regions like Japan and the European Union, which he's called the first steps toward "eliminating the anticompetitive terms that Apple and Google impose on developers and consumers, so we can build a better store for everyone."
As part of its years-long legal feud, Apple locked Epic's European developer account earlier this year to prevent Fortnite and the EGS from releasing on iOS in that region. The account was later reinstated, but not before Sweeney used the event to decry Apple for "[not] allowing true competition on iOS devices."
Last year, Epic admitted it personally created an advocacy group with companies like Bandcamp and Spotify to help build its antitrust case against Apple. The two music streaming services were reportedly unaware of Epic's true intent at the time.
According to Epic, it and Telefónica hope to bring "more benefits" to mobile players throughout 2025.
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