technology

Google Play Store Now Hosts Third-Party App Store, Aptoide Games

Published on 11/08/2026 06:20 in technology • Aaron Tilley

The Google Play Store is now offering a third-party app store called Aptoide Games, featuring both free and paid titles. This marks a significant shift following a court order related to the Epic Games v. Google lawsuit.

Accessing Aptoide Games

To access the store, users need to open the Play Store app on their Android phone and tap the profile icon in the upper right corner. Scrolling down the menu reveals the “Third-party app stores” option. Currently, only Aptoide Games is listed.

Games and Apps Available

Games and Apps Available

Aptoide Games offers a variety of apps, including:

  • Huawei Health - Tracks health metrics, workouts, and calorie consumption.
  • Clash of Kings - A real-time strategy game where players build a castle.
  • Vikings: War of Clans PvP - A game where players lead Vikings, building strongholds and engaging in battles.
  • Legend of Mushroom - An RPG where players control a mushroom on a quest.
  • LUDUS: Merge Arena PvP - A game involving collecting and upgrading heroes.
  • Wartune Ultra - A strategy-based role-playing game where players build a city and fight against dark forces.
  • Saint Seiya: Legend of Justice - A game where players build a team to dominate a Sanctuary War.
  • Duck Survival - A roguelike shooter with survival elements.
  • The Ants: Underground Kingdom - A game focused on building and protecting an ant colony.

The Legal Background

Google's decision to allow third-party app stores stems from a court order resulting from the Epic Games v. Google lawsuit. Epic Games sued Google over the 30% commission Google charged on in-app purchases. Epic attempted to bypass these fees by implementing a direct payment system within Fortnite, violating Play Store regulations, which led to Fortnite's removal from the Play Store.