Epic Launches Web-Based Stores, Challenging App Store Economics

Epic Games has launched a web-based shopping platform that allows game developers to sell virtual goods directly to players, marking the latest salvo in the company's years-long battle against mobile app store fees.

The Epic Web Shops, now available globally for personal computers and mobile phones, enable developers to sell in-game items, including character skins and virtual currency, without routing transactions through Apple or Google's payment systems and their accompanying commissions of 15% to 30%.

The Cary, N.C.-based company modeled the launch after a partnership with Codename Entertainment, which pioneered the approach with a web shop for its game "Idle Champions." Epic is now extending the service across its platform through self-publishing tools available to all developers.

Epic Web Shops Offer Developers Lower Fees and Direct Player Access

The new storefronts represent more than a technical workaround. They embody Epic's vision of what it calls a fairer economic model: Developers retain 100% of net revenue on their first $1 million in annual sales per title, after which Epic takes a 12% cut, substantially below the rates charged by Apple and Google.

"Epic positions itself as a payments and commerce layer," the company said, allowing developers to redirect transactions away from Apple or Google's application programming interfaces to Epic's infrastructure.

The service comes as regulatory and legal pressures are reshaping mobile commerce. U.S. regulators have already permitted such transaction steering, and a court injunction will allow shop steering on Android starting Oct. 22. Whether Epic's initiative gains traction could determine if it catalyzes a broader restructuring of platform economics.

The web shops support consumable virtual goods but exclude non-consumable items and Web3 titles. Epic is handling regional pricing, local tax compliance, and analytics for developers while supporting more than 80 payment methods across 43 currencies. The system integrates with Epic's existing rewards program and account balances.

On PCs, games now feature a dedicated "Web Shop" tab on their product pages. Epic said its mobile app would be ready by year-end, even for games not published through the Epic Games Store.