Aptoide Games joins Google Play Store following regulatory shift
The launch follows a 2024 court order and a settlement with Epic Games, ending a decade-long restriction on discovering alternative app stores within the Play Store ecosystem.
Aptoide Games, a mobile game-focused competitor to Google’s Play Store, is now available for download through the Google Play Store in the United States. This development marks a significant shift in the US Android ecosystem, allowing users to discover alternative app stores directly through Google’s platform for the first time in over a decade. The launch follows a 2024 court order by US District Judge James Donato, which mandated that Google open the Play Store to competitors as part of a settlement agreement with Epic Games.
Previously, Aptoide specialised in mobile games but relied on pre-installs or sideloading to reach users. Aptoide CEO and co-founder Paulo Trezentos stated that users lost the ability to discover alternative app stores through Google Play more than ten years ago, and this launch changes that dynamic. The move aligns with a subsequent agreement between Google and Epic Games that permits third-party app stores on Google Play, a feature officially enabled in July 2024.
The legal landscape shifted after nearly five years of litigation between Google and Epic Games, which began in 2020 when both companies removed Fortnite from their respective app stores. US District Judge James Donato ordered Google to open the Play Store to competitors in 2024. The settlement between Google and Epic Games includes provisions for more billing options, a programme for registered app stores, and lower fees for developers.
Google had previously blocked manufacturers such as OnePlus and LG from offering Fortnite in ways that bypassed the Google Play Store. The availability of Aptoide Games coincides with the implementation of a settlement agreement between Google and Epic Games, which allows third-party app stores on Google Play. Third-party app stores have only been available on Google Play since July 22, 2024.
While Aptoide is reported as potentially the first company to take advantage of the rule change, it is not definitively confirmed if other competitors launched on the same day or if Aptoide is strictly the first. The long-term impact on market share and user adoption of third-party app stores remains unclear.
