Epic Games Expands Its Free Games Program to Mobile by End of 2024

Epic Games is making a bold move to bring its popular free games program to mobile platforms by the end of 2024. This expansion will allow Android users to access a library of free games through Epic’s own app store, adding more competition to the mobile gaming landscape, which is currently dominated by platforms like Google Play Store.

During the recent Unreal Fest, Epic Games’ general manager Steve Allison shared that the company aims to offer up to 50 games by the end of the year. One of the flagship titles expected to launch on mobile through this initiative is Ark: Ultimate Mobile Edition, with more exciting titles to follow. While the plan is ambitious, Allison noted that the lack of a fully functional payment solution might delay the rollout by a few months.

In addition to third-party titles, Epic Games is also focusing on enhancing its mobile store with features like in-game chat, social integration, and cross-platform compatibility, similar to what players enjoy on the PC version of the Epic Games Store. These features will allow seamless multiplayer experiences across platforms, bringing more versatility to mobile gaming.

Epic’s long-term vision includes enabling developers to self-publish their games on the mobile store without requiring direct involvement from Epic, which could significantly streamline the process for game creators.

Interestingly, this announcement follows Epic Games’ renewed legal battle against Google and Samsung. The company has filed a second antitrust lawsuit, accusing the tech giants of hindering users from downloading apps from third-party stores, a direct challenge to the current dominance of the Google Play Store. This new lawsuit comes nearly four years after Epic filed a similar case against Google.