With Apple's ecosystem now open to alternative app stores, a new contender, Skich, has entered the fray, aiming to carve out a niche in the iOS gaming market. Skich sets itself apart by focusing heavily on gaming, differentiating itself from other altstores like Apptoide, which cater to a broader range of applications.

The cornerstone of Skich's strategy is its innovative discoverability system, which includes three key features: a recommendation engine, a swipe-based discovery interface, and a social system. These elements allow users to explore new games based on what their friends and others with similar tastes are playing. This approach mirrors the successful model used by Steam, suggesting Skich's intent to bring a familiar and effective user experience to iOS gamers.

However, Skich faces significant challenges in a rapidly evolving market. While its focus on gaming and social discovery is a strong selling point, it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to draw users away from established platforms. Competitors like the Epic Games Store, which offers free games, and Apptoide, which provides a wider app selection, have already set high expectations for what an altstore can offer.

Big fish, small pond? Skich's unique features give it a potential edge, but the success of an altstore in the iOS ecosystem depends on its ability to attract and retain users. While Skich's gamer-first approach is promising, the path to becoming a leading alternative app store is fraught with uncertainties.

The landscape is shifting, with major publishers like EA and Flexion exploring partnerships to create their own altstores. This trend could signal a future where alternative app stores challenge the dominance of official storefronts, potentially redefining how users access and discover games on iOS. Skich has a chance to succeed, but its journey will be closely watched as the market continues to evolve.