Inspired by Epic Games court victories against mobile game platforms, Skich Store has launched as an alternative for mobile game devs.
As the mobile games industry reels from Epic Games’ courtroom victory over Google, forcing the Play Store to open up to competing platforms, Skich Store has launched on Android, arriving just in time to offer developers and players a working alternative.
Skich Store is a mobile-first platform built around player discovery rather than pay-to-rank visibility. Already live on iOS in the European Union, Skich’s Android release gives developers a new route to audiences through a store that doesn’t rely on Google Play’s rules, algorithms, or billing systems.
With last week’s court ruling marking a major shift in how app distribution works on Android, Skich Store becomes one of the first challenger platforms to actively operate ahead of enforced compliance.
“We’ve seen firsthand how broken discovery can be for mobile games, especially for teams without massive ad budgets,” said Sergey Budkovski, CEO of Skich Store, in a statement. “Launching on Android is not just our next step, it’s our most important one. We’re offering a real alternative where great games can rise on their own merit, not marketing spend.”
I met Budkovski a while ago at the Web Summit and we talked about this day coming.
Earlier this year, Skich launched in the EU under the Digital Markets Act. The platform began as a discovery-focused app and evolved into a full mobile store based on early insights into how players engage with curated, interest-based recommendations. That experience now powers the Skich Store’s broader expansion.
Skich’s Android release begins as developer onboarding is underway, with over 100 studios already expressing interest in joining the store after launch. Policy updates will soon let users install alternative app stores through official channels, removing the friction of APKs and making access safer and easier.
Google is also expected to open the Play Store’s app catalog to alternative stores. As the industry adapts to new regulations and the impact of the Epic ruling, discovery, community, and user experience, not just app availability, will become the key differentiators.
This is where Skich stands out, the company said. The platform supports developers with a simplified 15% revenue share and gives players tools to find, follow, and engage with games through social activity, recommendations, and integrated tools.
Skich Store for Android is now available globally via APK at https://skich.app. The iOS version remains live across the European Union, with expansion to the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia expected by the end of year.
Headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, Skich is backed by GEM Capital, a leading game investor supporting studios and platforms across Europe and MENA.
Exactly the news context we’re tapping into with the Android launch. Skich is one of the first to act on this shift, so it should fit perfectly alongside that story.
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