Epic Games wants Google Play Store to be more open

Epic Games, Inc., a prominent American video game and software developer and publisher, has expressed its desire to make it easier for Android users to download apps from alternative sources, primarily the Epic Games Store. This initiative reflects Epic Games' long-standing goal of expanding app distribution beyond official app stores, a vision the company has actively pursued with Apple, Inc. for several years.

According to Epic, Google LLC should allow users to download apps from anywhere "without intervention". In practice, this is already possible because Android allows the installation of apk files, but Epic wants Google LLC to stop what it calls "deterrent tactics," such as warning screens. "Consumers should be able to download apps directly, much like they do on their computers," Epic writes.

Epic also wants Google LLC to make it easier to make in-app purchases that are "free of anti-competitive limits and restrictions." Epic wants developers to be able to tell users directly that they can make an in-app purchase on another platform and that Google allows alternative payment methods in apps.

 

[Novel Internet]

Would Epic Games also reimburse any and all damages incurred by consumers who may be exposed to malware as a result of this?

 

[ArtisticLayer]

Would Epic Games also reimburse any and all damages incurred by consumers who may be exposed to malware as a result of this?

Is Google doing this for the Android Play Store?

 

[Novel Internet]

Is Google doing this for the Android Play Store?

Apples and oranges. Google monitors apps in the Play Store and warns you about apps obtained by other means. Epic Games now wants to make this system bypassable. This makes every malware author happy because it is ideal for malware distribution.

 

[DarkDragon]

Is Google doing this for the Android Play Store?

Automated yes. However, there are many applications that cannot be scanned because the malware is loaded later. Or content that is encrypted. Google also runs the apps in a sandbox to check them, but malware apps can also detect this or delay loading the malware long enough for it to go undetected.

 

[Table Opening]

The Epic Games Store on Android has been around since 2020 (when Fortnite battle royale game was kicked out of Google Play and the Apple app store). Finally, a warning about installations from unknown sources is a good thing, especially for less technical users. This is how it used to work on PCs, and the consequences are well known. After all, Epic's target audience is 13-year-olds who want to buy "virtual" clothes with their parents' credit cards to be hip in Fortnite. If a warning about unknown installations scares you, don't do it anyway.

 

[RisingGear]

These warnings are more than logical and an important safety mechanism. I'm also curious if they're overplaying their hand and overstating their intentions.

 

[Cold Zero]

These warnings are more than logical and an important safety mechanism. I'm also curious if they're overplaying their hand and overstating their intentions.

I have no sympathy for Epic, but I agree with their position that it is not possible to compete on a level playing field with the Google Play Store. This has nothing to do with the quality of the Play Store or the lack of quality of the competition. Google has an automatic advantage in that you will never see such a warning when you install something from Google's Play Store. Whether for good reason or not, it is true and people are put off by these types of screens. Maybe Epic is right, but you cannot say that all alternatives to Google's Play Store are always inferior or even dangerous.

 

[PsychSalad]

I would have more respect for Epic if they just pushed their store on Xbox and PlayStation. Android and Apple are all well and good, but unfortunately they are silent on the consoles.

 

[Elle Fleming]

I understand where Epic and many others are coming from, but removing these warning screens is going a little too far for me. If consumers download apps with the same ease as they do on computers. Then malware will become increasingly common on mobile devices.

 

[WaterJuice]

It's not about the Store. It's about giving consumers a choice as to which store you want to use and that your apps should simply be freely downloadable. You can make a store as close as you want, as long as there is competition.

 

[AdAcrobatic]

It's not about the Store. It's about giving consumers a choice as to which store you want to use and that your apps should simply be freely downloadable. You can make a store as close as you want, as long as there is competition.

You don't believe yourself when you say this. A commercial company that stands up for consumers. This is of course hilarious. Epic just wants to make more money.

 

[CurrentTheme]

You don't believe yourself when you say this. A commercial company that stands up for consumers. This is of course hilarious. Epic just wants to make more money.

As a company, you can fight for something good and make a lot of money doing it... Now, I'm not necessarily saying that removing a warning when manually installing APKs is a good thing. I'm just saying that the two can coexist.

 

[ACriticalGeek]

Unfortunately, the motives of these companies are obviously not good. I would have preferred to see consumer organizations standing up for consumers. However, many adjustments seem to come from for-profit companies.