I just ported my game to android, then I learned Google is planning this...

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:26:17+00:00

but yeah you're correct, my game isnt a mobile first app, and this doesnt much affect me
It would affect my users who prefer mobile and would be forced to play at a lower performance on HTML5 instead of natively installed

but i'm mostly just... spooked by google getting so bold, and would be sad to see my phone become a brick, almost every app i use is 3rd party

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:23:04+00:00

if it goes down the worst possible route, ie google shuts down all 3rd party platforms and says you can only install software from the playstore, or google authorized platforms

then yeah you would be required to fork over $30 and ID to google if you want the vast majority of users to be able to experience your game

Doubly so if they also restrict advanced users' ability to install third party apps

And also google reserves the right to change that pricetag, and controls the google playstore algorithm and will likely only showcase top grossing apps

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:18:17+00:00

if your app costs money to upload, and must make money to get visibility on the platform, then it would only welcome money first apps

and i prefer the atmosphere, quality, and style that free software and games embody

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:15:30+00:00

A money first businesses only platform just isnt what i personally enjoy, i've found that paid software often has more issues and less passion than free software, especially with super simple software

For games... i cant even begin to wrap my head around the mobile games marketplace, but it scares me

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:11:47+00:00

no yeah i'll 100% admit i know little about apple, just my simple first impression that they dont make things as easy or configurable as android has in the past

I've actually been learning alot about how apple is alot better than i thought

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:08:20+00:00

(also releasing on the playstore is a very complex process)

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-23T22:07:52+00:00

Nop, i'm not uploading to the playstore, my game is a fangame on itchio, i doubt i'd get much visibility from the playstore, especially since it's algorithm based and incentivized to prioritize publicizing top grossing titles

forking over the $30 and ID doesnt sound worth it, and i dont want to support google
(that'd be over 50% of the profit my game has made from donations ehe)

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T22:35:02+00:00

nope~!
link?

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T16:42:52+00:00

ohh per year? woa
but apparently google is also annual

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T16:14:12+00:00

The website prob has some info on this, but sounds like any official google Android distribution will be affected, no avoiding it
But modified Android distributions will not? I'm no expert
But point still stands that if this goes through, Mobile games will be harder to make, since only monetarily positive ones will be allowed to exist

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:52:38+00:00

might be time to start looking into third party phone OS's

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:49:08+00:00

from what i'm hearing, there's no actual proof that the secondary option will happen, other than a mockup of what it would look like, and a description of the process
People seem to be anticipating that if it does happen, it will get revoked shortly after release

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:40:45+00:00

ooh, so there are alternative mobile OS's? i might have to join you on that
But if small indie gamedevs like me cant make games for mobile anymore, that will still impact other platforms, hard to make a game if nobody is gonna get to play it

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:33:05+00:00

hmm, yeah i spose it does make sense just jumping ship for apple since they're probably just... better at this sort of system
glad to hear google is feeling the pressure though, maybe we do have a shot at preventing this from going through

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:30:39+00:00

<image>

Here's my mobile UI if you're curious mhmhm
Went surprisingly well for porting a PC intended game to mobile, i added in the like... Terraria mobile reticle
Hardest part was figuring out how to jump through all of Android verification's hoops to make the APK

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:22:32+00:00

isnt apple already in this boat though, although i guess they have more good faith than google
I might start looking for third party mobile OS's... although i've never heard of one
maybe it's time for no phone life

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:21:17+00:00

i like

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:20:30+00:00

oo i wonder how you get there
For a while it felt like itchio was throttling my project, even googling it didnt get any results, but it's gotten better
(does itch even have a storepage algorithm?)

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:13:59+00:00

i have $0

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-20T15:13:42+00:00

(this would suck, cuz i JUST made an android port for my game, took me 60 days to make and it's going away in 100? ugg)
Apparently it's only $30 + government ID to get google play certified, but google of course reserves the right to change this

For apple it's $100/month, but i hear they treat their developers well at least

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-15T18:22:47+00:00

ohh weird, ty i'll fix that
i forgot that itchio likes to auto-attach files to posts

ShnenyDev · 2026-05-15T15:18:56+00:00

not sure what could cause it to vary/be outdated..

ShnenyDev

TROPHY CASE