It’s official: Mobile developers can now link players directly to web shops from their games in the U.S.

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It’s official: Mobile developers can now link players directly to web shops from their games in the U.S.

May 1, 2025

For years, mobile developers had limited options for promoting their web shops. Platform restrictions made it risky to mention better deals outside the App Store — let alone link to them. Teams relied on indirect methods like social posts or email campaigns to stay compliant — often with low conversion and high friction. Now, you can promote your web shop inside your game, link to it, or even empower players to instantly buy a specific IAP (SKU) with a single tap linking directly to an SKU. It’s a more frictionless way to drive web-based purchases.

What happened -- and why it matters to you

On April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court made a groundbreaking decision in Epic Games v. Apple, mandating that Apple allow mobile developers to direct users to alternative payment methods and external purchasing flows outside the App Store. This ruling marks a significant shift in mobile gaming, creating new opportunities for revenue generation and providing mobile game developers with complete control over their purchasing experience -- without risking enforcement actions or paying additional fees. Developers in the U.S. can now promote web shops directly within their games to their players, no matter where they are located. Game developers overseas can now include direct links in their iOS apps that point U.S. players to their web shops for purchases without being subject to Apple’s previous restrictions or commissions.

How does this benefit your web shop strategy?

Redirecting traffic from games to web shops is no longer just a workaround. It’s a best practice that directly helps your business to:

Gain more revenue and profits. Cut platform fees by up to 25% and keep more money in your pocket that you can reinvest in your game.
Facilitate more active users. Allow players to access your store with one click directly from the game, potentially increasing engaged web shop users by up to 60%.
Enhance customer loyalty. Improve web shop retention by 30-40% with consistent promotions and personalized offers.
Maximize your web shop revenue share split. Top-grossing games typically pull in 30-40% of their revenue this way. You can use in-game promotions to push it to 50% and beyond.
Grow the number of paying users. Direct links and tailored online offers make it easier for hesitant or previously inactive users to engage and convert, likely to result in a 30-40% increase in your overall monetizable audience.

Clear math, real opportunities

Here’s a straightforward example of what this means financially, up to 25% more profit per transaction:

Previously: A $20 in-app purchase (IAP) typically returned only $14 to developers after platform fees.
Now: Linking directly to your web shop can return as much as $19 from that same $20 purchase.

How to activate in-game web shop promotion 101

We always say that the recipe to success is to let your gamers know about your web shop and then continuously reinforce the messaging and engagement with them. To make the most of this shift, we recommend three simple steps: 1. Add visible access to your web shop in the game.

Place a button on the main screen using a reward or bonus as a trigger, and add ‘Purchase with Xsolla’ buttons under every single offer in-game.
Add a banner inside the in-game store: “Get 10–20% more value on Web Shop”.
Consider using all available in-game communication channels, newsletters, and messages to inform players.
Highlight the value of your web shop during live events or game news.

2. Create personalized, web-only offers.

Use in-game messages and inboxes to promote bundles that are only available on the web.
Personalize: “Low on [resource]? Web Shop bundle is available with a 25% bonus.”
Focus on moments when players are most engaged or most likely to convert. Perfect timing for casual games to step in!
Shift free item/daily gifts claims to the web to boost web shop adoption and encourage repeat visits - driving stronger retention.

3. Update offers regularly to match game activity.

Sync promotions with in-game LiveOps.
Run time-limited, exclusive, or seasonal bundles that feel part of the overall game experience.
Tie in quests, referral programs, or progression-based incentives to drive deeper engagement.
Ultimate goal? A web shop offering everything available in-game—plus exclusive content and deals players can’t get anywhere else.

Another tip: in order to maximize successful payments, keep the seamless one-tap experience of Apple Pay, but don’t compromise. Expand your payment portfolio beyond traditional app stores with access to over 1,000+ local payment methods, unlocking monetization in more geographies with Xsolla. And there’s more! We’ve already built a library of proven best practices, ready to share with anyone looking to level up their game. Schedule a meeting with our experts to learn how to create a top-performing web shop.

Key Xsolla Web Shop capabilities that drive revenue

Increase revenue by up to 5x with the most powerful LiveOps feature set, from time-limited and number-limited offers, to promo-codes, personalized campaigns, and rewards.
Achieve +15% Web Shop LTV growth with Web Shop loyalty feature —a ready-to-use D2C feature set that encourages players to return to the web shop and spend more within the developer’s store.
Get +13% increase in payment conversion from automated regional pricing. This allows game developers and publishers to implement regional pricing for catalogs and offers with just one click, saving time and effort.
Drive over +35% ARPPU increase with game-driven personalization. Xsolla Publisher Account now enables dynamic web shop content personalization using real-time in-game data. By setting up a webhook, your shop automatically adjusts its offerings based on a player’s in-game status, preferences, and progress—eliminating the need for manual content management.

Ready for what’s next?

This ruling is pivotal, opening a new monetization channel for mobile developers and significantly changing the landscape for mobile developers operating in the U.S. And it’s likely not the last shift. Other markets are already evaluating similar changes, and players are becoming more accustomed to cross-platform experiences. By adapting quickly, you improve immediate outcomes while setting the stage for long-term success and preparing your infrastructure and player behavior for what's next. Launch your Web Shop integration today →