Could the Epic Games Android store be a big deal? (PC cross-buy?)

[RedSwirl]

So the Epic Games Store runs on PC and Mac now but will include Android in 2019. Does that mean we're gonna see games that are cross-buy between PC and Android?

It makes sense when you think about it. Android is technically an open platform but from what I understand nobody has really bothered to go outside Google Play (I don't have any Android devices so I don't really know). Honestly I always wondered what was stopping Valve from trying this.

Think about it: good portable gaming is the only thing PC gaming is really missing. If a PC game service let you pay for a game once and play it on both PC and an Android device (phone, tablet, handheld device, console, etc.), potentially with cross saves, that could be one route. There are already a lot of games that are on both PC and Android.

Aside from that, could Epic end up creating a space for more core-oriented, premium-priced games on Android devices?

 

[LewieP]

Baffled that Valve never did that on Steam.

 

[MrBob]

I've been thinking about this too since I believe Fortnite on Android is available outside the play store?

I saw that Epic Games Store will handle Android games in the future. Does this mean all games or just Epic mobile games? If it's all games then I'm curious how Google will respond. I think the Valve/Epic spat could be tiny against Epic taking on Google for gaming on Android.

Games already offer cross saves between platforms though. I play Eternal Card Game on both Steam and my Android phone and use an in game account to move data between platforms.

 

[LewieP]

I've been thinking about this too since I believe Fortnite on Android is available outside the play store?

I saw that Epic Games Store will handle Android games in the future. Does this mean all games or just Epic mobile games? If it's all games then I'm curious how Google will respond. I think the Valve/Epic spat could be tiny against Epic taking on Google for gaming on Android.

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It won't be all games, Android is just another supported platform, much like how they are supporting Windows and Mac, but not requiring Mac support.

 

[Accoun]

It makes sense when you think about it. Android is technically an open platform but from what I understand nobody has really bothered to go outside Google Play (I don't have any Android devices so I don't really know). Honestly I always wondered what was stopping Valve from trying this.

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Humble apparently did. Didn't try it myself, tho. Amazon too. There was that promo a few years ago that gave you like $20 coins for free and included GTA: San Andreas. Outside of gaming there's F-Droid for FOSS apps.

 

[chubigans]

Humble has done this for a while. Buying my game on there gets you access to DRM free PC/Mac/Linux, Steam keys, and the APK Android file (or a download through the Humble Android app). Pretty nifty!

 

[peppersky]

How many games are there even that are both on PC and on Android? I know of a few indie games, but nothing that seems all that interesting, and certainly not interesting enough to make enough people install another app store.

 

[ZugZug123]

This feature is actually nice and makes it differentiate itself from Steam.

 

[LewieP]

How many games are there even that are both on PC and on Android? I know of a few indie games, but nothing that seems all that interesting, and certainly not interesting enough to make enough people install another app store.

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I suspect the number would be a lot bigger if Steam added Android support.

 

[Deleted member 47318]

I suspect the number would be a lot bigger if Steam added Android support.

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That's for certain, and you'd have console/PC gamers looking down on mobile as a platform a lot less too.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

How many games are there even that are both on PC and on Android? I know of a few indie games, but nothing that seems all that interesting, and certainly not interesting enough to make enough people install another app store.

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Quite a lot actually.