Payment Power
Tag: Google Play
App Store Changes
Aptoide returns to Google Play after more than a decade
Google Fined
European Commission fines Google €890m over Digital Markets Act breaches
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In The Hot Seat
In the Hot Seat: Three ways Western developers are leaving a fortune on the table in China
We speak to Kingsoft's Claire Yang about making cross-border deals work, the hires that can mean 10x to 100x the revenue and why China's giants don't hold every advantage
Epic Vs Google
Google and Epic withdraw settlement as Play Store overhaul moves ahead
Google Play will begin carrying rival app stores in the US from July 22nd
Funding For Games
Google launches $1m Indie Games Fund for African developers
Ten indie game studios will receive between $50,000 and $200,000 each
Google Loses
Google loses appeal against $4.7 billion Android antitrust fine
Regulators found Google used Android agreements to block rivals
Podcast | Episode 95
Direct-to-consumer banks $17 billion and Google rolls out fee changes | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 95...
New Offerings
Google Play expands billing options and lowers fees for developers
The search giant is separating service fees from billing fees starting June 30th, 2026
Unblocked
Hungry Studio’s Block Blast returns to Google Play
The title, which the company claims has 300 million monthly active users, was temporarily unavailable during the past 24 hours
Blocked
Hungry Studio’s Block Blast no longer available on Google Play
The popular mobile game is said to have 300 million monthly active users worldwide
Policy Shift
Google Play to shift chargeback costs to Android developers in 2026
New Review Refund API launching in July 2026
Comeback
Freecash returns to Google Play after policy review
Almedia is still working with Apple to restore Freecash on iOS
Mobile Recognition
What Ilkka Paananen's BAFTA Fellowship means for mobile
BAFTA honours a mobile leader and snags Google Play as its headline partner in show of recognition for mobile
All-in
Direct-to-consumer sales hit record levels again in Q4
Mobile games publishers continue to go all-in on D2C amid regulatory and court-led upheaval
Google Play Update Details
The true cost of Google's Level Up: What the fee table doesn't show
Google’s fee update looks simple, but the real cost shows up in lock-in, add-ons and rules
Podcast | Episode 86
The final word on GDC | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 86...
Week In Views
ByteDance's Moonton acquisition, Fortnite's Google Play comeback and a $2bn milestone for Farm Heroes Saga | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Finding Fortnite
Fortnite is back on the Google Play Store today
Epic’s flagship returns after more than 5.5 years
Fortnite Comeback
Fortnite set to return to Google Play on March 19th
The return follows a long legal battle with Google that saw the title originally removed from the Google Play Store in 2020
New Offerings
Google Play rolls out Game Trials so players can try full paid games before purchasing
New “buy once, play anywhere” model lets players access supported games on both mobile and PC
New Partnerships
Court reveals secret $800m deal between Google and Epic Games amid antitrust case
The deal was revealed during a court hearing in San Francisco, with a judge questioning its impact on Epic’s legal demands
D2c Revolution
Publishers bank record direct-to-consumer revenue
The latest results of the D2C revolution are in
Opening Up
Japan cracks open the App Store and Google Play to rival payment providers and marketplaces
Top mobile platforms must now let developers use alternative payment providers and let users install rival marketplaces
Revenue Report
Google Play in-app purchases fall 29% in RPGs and 50% in casino games
Revenue from the strategy genre has grown by 21% on Google Play since October 2024
Podcast | Episode 71
Google and Epic upend Android mobile game monetisation | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 71...
Podcast | Episode 70
Squad Busters shuts down and Google Play's transformative changes | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 70...
Major Shift
Google Play injunction can "transform Android game economics"
Tech giant forced to allow alternative payment systems in the US until 2027 under court ruling in Epic Games case
Cracked Open
US Google Play store opens up to alternative payments in boost for DTC
Injunction will run until November 1st, 2027
Age Verification
Google is rolling out age verification on the Play Store
The rollout will vary by region, with some areas exempt from verification requirements
Market Status
CMA designates Apple and Google with strategic market status on mobile
The designation gives the CMA new powers to ensure fair competition across mobile ecosystems
Deadline Extension
US judge grants Google one-week extension to comply with Epic Games injunction
Both Google and Epic jointly requested the deadline extension from October 22nd to 29th, 2025
New Offerings
Google Play launches raft of new games features
Rolls out includes other features like the You tab and Play Games Leagues
App Store Changes
Google to require identity verification for all Android app developers from next year
Developers in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand face new verification rules from September 2026
Play Policy
Google Play policy update restricts pre-registrations, discovery and more to higher-tier fee payers
Changes also allow developers to more flexibly link to payments outside of an app
Money Makers
How much direct-to-consumer revenue are mobile games publishers making?
All the major mobile games companies are talking about it. And the results are in
Legal Battle
Google loses appeal in Epic Games case that could crack open the Play store
The case could now make its way to the Supreme Court
On The Leash
The heavy hand of regulation
Regulators continue to fight big tech with mixed results
Strategic Market Status
UK’s CMA crawls to Apple and Google regulation
Competition and Markets Authority proposes designating Apple and Google with Strategic Market Status
Google Games
Google quietly launches HTML5 games hub Instant Games on select Android devices
The new app allows users to access a selection of games without downloading them separately
New Offerings
Google brings Play Points to Roblox with launch of Diamond District experience
The search giant said the experience will be live until July 2nd, 2025
Destined Details
Destiny: Rising opens pre-registrations on App Store
Pre-registrations for the full game will open on Google Play at a later date
Earth Day
PlanetPlay launches Earth Day 2025 campaign with Sybo, Niantic, Sir Ian Livingstone and others
Livingstone and other celebrity ambassadors have been confirmed ahead of the 55th Earth Day on April 22nd
Awards And Accolades
AFK Journey, Eggy Party and Squad Busters win big at the Google Play Awards 2024
HoYoverse lands another Google Play win, but not for Zenless Zone Zero
Podcast | Episode 32
Breaking down Google Play's Judgement Day | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 32...
Rise Of The Stores
Google Play’s Judgement Day - Does it matter?
The tech giant's next potential steps and whether rivals can change the status quo in just three years
Google Grumbles
Google agrees to pay $700 million and change app store rules after antitrust settlement
The results of Google’s loss against 50 US attorneys general are finally revealed
Candy Crown
King soft launch Candy Crush 3D: Is their next crowning victory on its way?
King stealthily reveals Candy Crush 3D on the Google Play Store
American Ascent
The US accounted for 53.5% of casual game installs in Q3, but what are the hottest genres globally?
Monopoly GO and Subway Surfers prove to be the quarter’s most downloaded games
Download Disparity
Q3's biggest genres saw 700% more downloads on Google Play than Apple App Store
A total of 12.36 billion downloads across top three Android genres VS 1.54 billion on iOS