October 2024 Google Ruling: A New Era of Opportunity for Mobile Game Publishers
Game over for Google’s monopoly? Maybe not quite yet. But the game has definitely changed.
The recent ruling in Epic v. Google has forced Google to open up Android to rival app stores, breaking a long-standing barrier for mobile game publishers.
For the first time, third-party app stores can access the entire Google Play catalog, while developers gain the freedom to choose their own payment methods.
It’s a significant shift that signals more distribution options, more competition, and, crucially, higher margins for publishers.
But what does it all mean in practice? And how can publishers make the most of this new landscape?
Opportunities: More Choice, More Control, More Revenue
The headline is clear: this ruling unlocks freedom for publishers to break away from Google’s forced billing practices. No more mandatory 30% fees—developers can finally choose their own payment methods (such as Appcharge’s mobile checkout SDK) and control how they monetize their content.
But the real opportunity goes beyond just payment freedom. With full catalog access given to alternative app stores, lower fees, and fewer restrictions, publishers can now actually diversify distribution of their games.
Players have a choice for downloading games – many will prefer sticking to their tried and tested platform, but more tech-savvy players who seek great deals could turn to alternative app stores.
This opens the door for a future where publishers aren’t boxed in by a single platform’s rules and can build balanced, multi-channel strategies—leveraging third-party stores, DTC web stores, and direct app installs to reach players more effectively and maximize profitability.
But Challenges Still Remain: Compliance and Distribution
That said, the path ahead isn’t entirely straightforward. Let’s start with compliance. The freedom to choose different payment systems means navigating a web of new standards, tax regulations, chargebacks, and payment rules. Publishers will need to be strategic about which stores they partner with and how they maintain compliance, without getting bogged down in red tape.
Another crucial piece of the puzzle is distribution. We’re still in the early stages of DTC after all. Alternative app stores and game publishers alike will need to figure out how to prize users away from traditional app stores for downloading games.
But it is possible – look at Epic Games as a case in point. As of 2023, the Epic Games Store has distributed games to over 230 million PC users, marking an increase of 36 million users since 2021, while their mobile installs passed 10 million after just 1.5 months. Their distribution tactics for PC games included securing exclusive rights to several high-profile games and offering free games as part of its marketing strategy.
What Comes Next?
For publishers, the takeaway is clear: it’s time to rethink monetization and distribution strategies. We’ve already seen web stores evolve from the “next big thing” to the norm. With the new era of alternative app stores emerging, we’re even more confident that success will belong to those who are ready to embrace a multi-channel approach.
As we discussed with one of our clients earlier today, the opportunity isn’t just about saving on fees; it’s about building a diversified, resilient business model that can withstand future shifts in the app economy.
At Appcharge, we provide a complete solution to help you do just that:
- Our Web Store Builder lets you create a custom store that provides a direct line to your players using industry leading monetization features.
- Our Web Store Checkout provides conversion-maximizing checkout flows and takes compliance off your plate entirely – we handle everything.
- Our Mobile Checkout SDK enables a seamless in-app payment flow with access to 500+ payment methods and full Merchant of Record services, making it easy to bypass traditional app stores entirely.