Skich is the next competitor to take a swing at the new alternative app store market

  • Skich is the latest contestant in the altstore space
  • It’s focused on gaming with a wealth of discoverability mechanics
  • But can it succeed in a rapidly growing space?

In recent times, Apple’s ecosystem has seen a surge of new competitors vying for the position of the first successful alternative app store on iOS. The newest contender in this race is Skich, an alternative marketplace with a primary focus on gaming. Unlike other alternatives, it aims to stand out by emphasizing its gaming selection over a broad array of applications, similar to Apptoide.

At the heart of Skich lies its unique approach to finding content, which we refer to as its discovery system. In essence, Skich emphasizes three key components: a suggestion engine, an interactive exploration method similar to swiping, and a social feature that includes friend lists and suggestions for users with comparable preferences to yours, enabling you to see what games your friends and others are currently enjoying.

As a gamer, you might find some resemblances between this platform and Steam, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, one area where it seems to inherit flaws from its PC version is the lack of social features and discoverability, which gamers like me who use platforms such as Steam or GOG have come to expect without much thought.


Big fish, small pond?

Considering this, Skich does offer a key advantage. However, it’s crucial to note that this alone might not be sufficient for its success. As I mentioned earlier, physical stores aiming to enter the iOS environment must persuade gamers to switch from their current preferences.

Using Epic, the appeal lies in offering free games, while Apptoide expands to various apps. Is there a possibility that Skich can attain its desired success with a gamer-centric approach? Absolutely, but it’s not something that’s guaranteed.

Even though major publishers like EA and Flexion are placing more emphasis on alternative app marketplaces, it seems that in the near future, established storefronts might take a backseat to emerging platforms from lesser-known competitors.

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2025-03-13 17:19