Skich Launches Alternative iOS App Store in EU

The European Union is seeing the birth of a new third-party software shop for iPhone users that bills itself as “designed specifically for mobile gamers.” Skich is the most recent of a small group of alternative app marketplaces, such with AltStore Pal, SetApp Mobile, and Mobivention, to benefit from the relaxation of Apple’s App Store limitations brought about by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

To better compete with other game stores like Aptoide and Epic Games, Skich, a Tinder-like software for finding mobile games, announced Thursday the opening of a new marketplace.

For iOS customers in the EU, there will be a new alternative mobile gaming shop called Skich shop. Following the Game Developers Conference (GDC) at the end of March, the business intends to start adding titles.

The launch of Skich’s iOS marketplace comes after the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a new law recently enacted in the EU. By placing a number of restrictions and criteria on tech giants like Apple, the DMA aims to improve competition and fairness. It prevents iOS, for example, from prohibiting third-party app shops.

Starting today, users in the EU may download the Skich Store for iOS from its official website. The store claims to provide a more “individualized experience” when it comes to game distribution and discovery than other software marketplaces. Additionally, an Android version is also being developed.

With a number of social and discovery elements, the store experience is remarkably similar to the present Skich app. One of them is a suggestion system that lets users “match” with games they like by swiping left or right. Users may also check developer profiles to discover additional games, make playlists of their favourite games, and visit an Activity area to see what their friends are playing.

However, it should be noted that Skich does not currently have any games accessible. In contrast, when Aptoide, another third-party iOS software store with a gaming concentration, debuted in June, it offered eight simple games. Games will “start appearing on the platform in March,” according to Skich CEO Sergey Budkovski, who told The Verge that the site has “so far” received requests from about 20 developers.

“Skich Store is a platform created especially for gamers, making it simpler than ever to discover and enjoy new titles. It is not just another app marketplace.”

These kinds of social mechanisms are typically absent from app stores, therefore Skich intends to differentiate itself in this way. 

In addition to any in-app sales made from games downloaded through the marketplace, the business will receive a 15% commission on all purchases made within the Skich Store. Notably, co-founder and CEO Sergey Budkovski told TechCrunch that this is the first time Skich has made money from its operations.

Skich could be a better choice because Apple, on the other hand, takes a larger 30% share from developers’ revenue on its App Store. Attracting a sizable player base in contrast to the App Store’s well-established dominance—which includes millions of applications and games—could be a challenge for Skich. 

According to Skich, the website presently has 100,000 monthly organic visitors. 

According to Budkovski, the shop will soon take the place of the current Skich app. In May, the Skich Store will also open on Android.

In contrast to Apple’s 20 percent fee for EU developers, developers will be charged 15 percent for any transaction made on the Skich Store, including in-app purchases from games downloaded through it.

“We’ve created a recommendation system that matches gamers with games in an ideal manner, akin to Tinder,” Budkovski added. “240 genres power its algorithm, which is 14 times more than what’s available in the App Store.”

Since the DMA went into effect in March of last year, there haven’t been many third-party app shops opening. Skich is noteworthy even if its list of games is empty, but until it fixes that problem, we won’t be able to tell if it actually offers better optimal suggestions.