Epic Games Store Webshops launches to help iOS developers offer out-of-app purchases

Following Apple's sanctioning for violating an injunction to remove anti-steering measures, Epic Games is launching Webshops to make it easier for third-party developers to handle out-of-app purchases for iOS apps.

Epic is seemingly having a very good Thursday, with Apple smarting from a ruling by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that it didn't do enough to meet the terms of an injunction issued in 2021. Capitalizing on the ruling, Epic says it will help iOS developers introduce alternative purchase methods to apps, without needing to pay Apple's 27% commission fee.

In a post to the Epic Games Store, Epic Games says that it is making two changes that affects developers in June. The first is the introduction of Epic Games Store Webshops, a way for developers to launch their own webshops hosted by the Epic Games Stores.

The webshops will provide a way to perform out-of-app purchases, in that app developers could point users toward the webshop for transactions relating to the app. This is meant to be instead of using the typical in-app purchases mechanism, which has Apple taking a 30% commission from purchases.

Epic points this out, referring to the Webshops as "a more cost-effective alternative to in-app purchases, where Apple, Google, and others charge exorbitant fees."

Referencing the ruling, Epic advises that developers can send players from games to make digital purchases from the webshops on any platform that allows the practice. Leaning further into attacking Apple, Epic specifically says this includes iOS in the European Union and the United States.

As a further benefit, players who spend money in Epic Webshops will also gain 5% in Epic Rewards.

At the same time, Epic is adjusting its Epic Games Store payments in June, so that developers pay a 0% fee on their first million dollars in revenue per app per year. After that milestone, the revenue share reverts to 88% for the developer, 12% for Epic.

While Epic doesn't say what the revenue share will be for the webshops, it is probable that they will follow the same percentages as the Epic Games Store itself.

Needling Apple

The changes to the Epic Games Store and the introduction of webshops occur at a time when Apple has to deal with Judge Rogers, who sees Apple as failing to abide by the anti-steering injunction from the long-running Epic vs Apple lawsuit.

Under the ruling update, Apple must cease charging fees on purchases made outside the app, and stop needing developers to report their purchases. Apple also must lift restrictions on how developers promote alternate payment options within their apps, as well as comply with other smaller requirements laid out by Judge Rogers.

Epic's webshops certainly capitalize on the major news, and for good reason. If Epic manages to encourage large apps to take up its webshops offer, it could feasibly earn even more by handling the transactions.