Aptoide Games arrives on Google Play, a first after Epic ruling

Aptoide Games becomes the first third-party app store to appear in Google Play in the US, following the antitrust ruling in Epic v. Google.

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Aptoide Games, a game-focused app store, is now downloadable from Google Play in the United States. The listing, available as of August 10, 2026, marks a notable shift in Android's app distribution landscape: it is the first third-party app store to appear within Google Play since the platform changed its rules to permit such listings.

Until now, Aptoide was accessible only through preinstalls or sideloading, meaning users had to install the client manually. Its presence in Google Play offers a more direct route for users to discover the store, which has been a sideloaded client since the early days of Android.

Paulo Trezentos, CEO and co-founder of Aptoide, framed the development as a restoration of user choice. "More than ten years ago, Android users lost the ability to discover alternative app stores through Google Play. Today, that changes. Users gain more choice, developers gain additional distribution opportunities, and Android becomes a more open and competitive ecosystem," he said.

The change stems from the long-running antitrust dispute between Epic Games and Google. Epic sued Google and Apple in 2020 after Fortnite was removed from their stores. During the case, it emerged that Google had blocked OnePlus and LG from offering Fortnite in a way that bypassed Google Play. In 2024, US District Judge James Donato ordered Google to open the Play Store to competitors and imposed remedies that included lowering developer fees, mirroring Google Play apps in other stores, and allowing alternative payment systems.

Google and Epic later reached a settlement that included more billing options, a program for registered app stores, lower fees, and new programs for developers. The two companies had previously withdrawn a settlement when the court appeared unlikely to approve it. Under the final arrangement, third-party app stores have been allowed on Google Play since July 22, 2026, and Aptoide is likely the first to take advantage of that rule change.

Google's compliance with the judge's orders applies only in the US, where the company says it is following the court's directives. The Registered App Store program, however, is slated to launch internationally, which could open the door for similar listings in other regions in the future.

For developers, the arrival of Aptoide in Google Play represents an additional distribution channel, while users gain another way to access games without leaving the official storefront. The full impact on Android's ecosystem remains to be seen, but the listing signals a tangible outcome of the Epic v. Google case.