Aptoide launches alternative iOS game store in Japan

Aptoide has just launched AppArena in Japan. This is the first "tailored alternative iOS game store" for the Japanese market, the company says. The launch was made possible by Apple's recent regulatory-induced changes enabling third-party app markets, following the passing of Japan's new Mobile Software Competition Act of 2025, which mandated this move.

The Japanese launch is in partnership with BBSS Corporation, a digital services and IT provider owned by the SoftBank group. AppArena is available today in Japan. It "moves away from traditional download-driven rankings, allowing users to find games they truly enjoy", according to the official press release.

It features curated discovery articles by the AppArena editorial team, up to 10% cashback in points on in-app purchases, 15-minute game trials in the cloud without using device storage, and the Game Genie AI feature. You can simply ask it for what you want to play. It combines "Aptoide's app metadata, user behavior signals, and large language models to deliver intent-based recommendations".

Aptoide CEO Paulo Trezentos said:

Japan is one of the most sophisticated mobile markets in the world. With AppArena, we're not just adding another icon to the Home Screen - we're bringing a new, AI-driven layer on top of the existing app ecosystem. You can spend minutes searching for the right app, or you can just ask Game Genie and have it done in seconds.