Beyond this pace, US courts ordered that Google should, for a period of three years, roll out its Play Games app to enable more features.
This ruling follows the trial between Epic and Google at the end of the year, where the jury voted in favor of the Fortnite agency. The tweaks that Google has now been instructed to make include:
- Allow third-party app stores to be paid through Google Play games
- Share the entire catalog of Google Play game apps with those stores (until app creators decide not to)
- Don’t force developers to use Google Play game billing (for which Google takes a 30% fee on all transactions, even for apps paid for during the Play Games bundle).
- Allow builders to direct customers to complementary stores and rate programs.
Google is interested in ruling on the decision, but this is a long process and the ruling takes effect on November 1, 2024 (although Google will have eight months to implement all the changes).
“Android users already have access to multiple app stores, but Google Play continues to dominate”
Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere Research
Epic is already hailing this as a victory, especially now that it finally has its own cell meeting. However, experts report GameIndustry.biz that opening Google Play games in the United States will not have as much effect as the country assumes.
“I don’t expect these changes to have a dramatic impact on the dynamics of the mobile gaming market in the United States,” says Piers Harding-Rolls, head of video game analysis at Ampere Research.
“First, in terms of the overall market, the US mobile gaming market is dominated by spending on iOS, while Android has a smaller share. Gaming companies won’t stop bringing their games to Apple devices even if the app store rules aren’t as potentially favorable as Android, and consumers generally won’t choose Android phones just to get access to the Epic Games Store on mobile devices.
“Second, Android consumer preferences and behavior are unlikely to change significantly from what is done today. Android users already have access to multiple app stores, but Google Play still dominates. These “Rules will make it easier to discover and access games from other apps, but there are still fees and charges that Google may charge for Google Play-based surveillance, which could undermine the impact of the ‘free market.'”
Newzoo market analyst Brett Hunt let us know that since this ruling is also the “tip of an iceberg of slow and radical changes in the mobile market”, its impact is clearly not overestimated. The opening day of Google Play games is probably a financial guarantee for developers, especially now that the 30% reduction will not be necessary and the studios will be in charge of convincing users of direct and additional payment modes; unaltered.
“[These changes] “They are unlikely to significantly impact discoverability,” the analysts let us know. “While these changes level the playing field at the systemic store level, they do not point to a clear winner. [Judge] “Donato’s goal is to break a perceived monopoly, not to specifically appeal to game developers.”
Hunt adds that major developers and publishers are most likely to gain advantages, as they will have more resources in terms of running their own stores and payment systems, or complementary marketing options for players.
Meanwhile, MobileGamer.biz writer Neil Longy also expects the ruling to have minimal effect in the short term, basically because Google is attractive and can probably put up obstacles where it could, but let’s imagine it’s possible. within the medium term.
“Over the course of the next three years, there could be a big change,” he says. “Clearly, Epic has its mobile gaming suite and Xbox is running its ‘gamer-first’ app suite, although there’s been some peace of mind on that front for some time now. Both companies have the game catalog and advertising budgets.” and marketing to support production players move.
“Over time, super-engaged, high-spending Android gamers will be attracted to alternatives with cheaper in-game currency and other incentives, but most high-value gamers are on iOS, and that’s more locked in than never”.
“Heavyweights like Epic and Xbox [need to] Take advantage of the moment now and make a big effort to get people to visit your stores regularly. “The mobile phone is not a space for subtlety”
Neil Longy, MobileGamer.biz
Since the ruling will make it easier to distribute additional app stores, since users will be able to install them from Google Play games in addition to downloading them, Hunt warns that another barrier remains: converting the country’s behavior to interact. and buy in those stores.
“A parallel example is Epic Games’ difficulty moving PC players from Steam to the Epic Games Store,” the company tells us. “Despite offering exclusive titles and free games, many users remain loyal to Steam. Similarly, mobile users may resist moving away from familiar app stores, making it difficult for developers to attract and retain users on new platforms”.
Hunt adds that while three years is plenty of time to make some changes in the mobile market, it probably isn’t much time for the typical game developer to look for significant profits.
Harding-Rolls predicts that most developers will continue working on changing their performance on Android in the United States, if possible until Google has put the important processes in place. As mentioned, the ruling applies from November 1, 2024, but Google still has eight months to ensure compliance.
“Epic has obviously been planning the expansion of its mobile app store for several years and I think it will work to prepare for a more integrated launch after those eight months have passed,” Harding-Rolls provides.
The ruling only applies to the United States, but with Google and Apple’s mobile ecosystems under scrutiny by governments and regulators around the world, it’s possible this could set a precedent that can be followed elsewhere. Long surely hopes this will be deemed correct during the Justice Department’s upcoming investigation into Apple’s anti-competitive behavior. That said, he’s not sure additional intervention is actually the right thing to do.
“Different nations and regions taking different measures will ultimately only benefit Apple and Google,” he explains. “The more complex this all gets, the more developers and players will stick to what they know.”
On the other hand, Long argues that there is a long-term opportunity for companion app stores and that if major companies can find a foothold, it should reduce the dominance of mobile platform incumbents.
“Those heavyweights like Epic and Xbox [need to] “Seize the moment now and make a big effort to get people to visit your stores regularly,” he says. “Mobile is not a dimension for subtlety: the advantages must be cloudless and those intact stores want to be really easy to access.” utility.
“But all this with the caveat that Google, like Apple, will do everything possible within the new proposals to stop the adoption of these stores and alternative payment systems.”
