Skich is a new alternative App Store for iPhone owners in the European Union (EU) focused on gaming that arrived with no games available at launch.
The Verge quoted Skich CEO Sergey Sergey Budkovski, who said that games will “start appearing on the platform in March.” EU iPhone owners can download the Skich Store by visiting the official website in Safari, clicking “Download Skich Store” (desktop) or the “Install” banner (mobile) and following the onscreen instructions.
You’ll need to skip past a bunch of scare screens Apple designed to dissuade you from using alternative app stores. However, once you’ve made your way through them, you can download and install games when they arrive later this month.
The gaming-focused Skich Store hits EU iPhone owners
Budkovski said at least 20 developers have expressed interest in the platform so far. Skich takes a 15 percent fee, with 85 percent of the proceeds made on the store going to developers. By comparison, Apple imposes a 20 percent fee on EU developers. A version of the Skich Store for Android phones is in development.
One way the Skich Store one-ups the App Store is its recommendation algorithm, which takes into account 240 different genes to “perfectly match gamers with games.” In comparison, the App Store has fewer than two dozen genres in total. Skich knows a thing or two about recommendations; it started as a mobile game recommendation service directing users to the App Store.
Like other alternative app stores, Skich is only available in the European Union, where Apple’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act resulted in changes that paved the way for sideloading, third-party marketplaces and other concessions. Only a handful of third-party app marketplaces are available to EU iPhone owners, including Setapp Mobile, AltStore PAL, Mobivention, Epic Games Store, Aptoide and Buildstore.