EA Expands Flexion Partnership to Unlock Mobile Gaming Potential on Third-Party App Stores
EA has formed a collaboration with the marketing firm
Flexion
to distribute its mobile video games to third-party app stores in the near future.
Under this agreement, selected titles such as
EA Sports FC Mobile
and
The Sims Mobile
will be available on the Amazon App Store, Samsung Galaxy Store, Xiaomi GetApps, and ONE Store. Flexion’s self-described distribution services enable them to “connect with new players from alternative stores, significantly lowering the initial costs or efforts from its partners to enhance revenue and engage new audiences.”
In its
third quarter financial report
for 2024-2025, EA reported a “double-digit growth” in new players and engagement year-over-year for
EA Sports FC Mobile
specifically. However, the overall mobile sector generated $276 million in revenue, reflecting a 7 percent decline from the previous year. Launching its games on additional platforms could help close that gap or increase income over the remainder of the fiscal year, or for 2025-2026.
“We’re thrilled that EA has decided to collaborate with us and are eager to introduce their popular mobile games,” stated CEO Jens Lauritzson. “Developers enjoy higher margins, improved revenue and can reach larger audiences through broader market channels, including alternative app stores. Leveraging Flexion’s specialized third-party solutions for this task minimizes initial financial and labor costs, thereby reducing risk.”
The emergence of alternative app stores
Over the past year, non-iOS and Android marketplaces have gained increased visibility in mobile sectors. In 2024, developer
Kabam Entertainment
partnered with Flexion to bring
Marvel: Contest of Champions
to alternative stores, including ONE Store Korea.
A UK
bill
was passed in the same year, aiming to prevent larger tech platforms like Apple and Google from favoring their own products. The bill followed the nation’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which required Apple to allow
third-party stores
on the UK iOS.
Flexion will launch EA’s first mobile game on third-party stores later this year. In 2022, Game Developer spoke with ZiMad’s Vladimir Romanov regarding the benefits these alternative storefronts can offer developers, which you can read
here
.
About the Contributor
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A native of Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to a wide array of websites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can also be found at io9 on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him how much gum he has chewed, as the answer will likely be more than he’s willing to reveal.