Android game makers usually display their homemade software on the official Google app store, Play Store. But this is not the case with Epic Games, the popular game developer for Fortnite. Instead of displaying the Android version of Fortnite on the Play Store, Epic Games prefers to distribute Fortnite in the form of an installation file from its own site.
The reason is because the Epic Games did not want to pay the 30 percent deduction that Google collected from game revenue on the Play Store. As a result, Google also has the potential to lose revenue of around 50 million US dollars.
This figure comes from revenues recorded by Fortnite on the iOS platform, which is 180 million US dollars since its launch on March 15, according to a report from market research firm Sensor Tower. As summarized from Neowin, Tuesday (08/14/2018), the Sensor Tower also estimated that Apple would gain 54 million dollars, from the 30 percent deduction imposed on Fortnite’s revenue at the iOS app store, the App Store.
Different from the Android platform where the device can install applications from sources other than the official store (in the form of APK), Apple did not allow iOS devices to do this from the start. Only applications from the official App Store store can be installed.
Inevitably, Epic Games must obey Apple. Difficult for money In addition to harming Google, the Epic Games decision to distribute Fortnite through its website has the potential to complicate or even endanger Android device users who intend to play the game.
“There is concern that, by passing Google Play, Epic can make users have difficulty playing Fortnite on older Android devices,” wrote the Sensor Tower. The potential danger comes from having to deactivate the security feature that prevents installation of applications from sources outside the Google Play Store, before users can install Fortnite.
Android malware can enter the system by using this slot, if the installation toggle from an outside source forgets to be turned off again after the user installs Fortnite. It was also troublesome because the user had to turn off the toggle “install app from unknown sources” again after installing an update for Fortnite, then turn it on again.
“That a popular application forces its players to turn off this security feature is not a good thing at all,” said an independent security researcher, Graham Cluley. He added, Fortnite enthusiasts also have the potential to be tricked into downloading malware from other sites that disguise it as the official Epic Games site.
Not to mention the various types of Fortnite imitation clone applications that will appear on the Play Store to prey on users who do not know that Fortnite does not exist in the application store. Google also feels the need to install special notifications if there are users who are looking for Fortnite on the Play Store so they don’t get fooled.
There has been a revenue increase. After all, Epic Games still insisted not to pay the discount on the official Android app store. “Google Play Store cuts 30 percent of revenue. That is very high for the gaming industry, “said Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.
Fortnite itself in July was estimated to have raised revenues of 1 billion US dollars since it was first released in October 2017. This game is available on many platforms, including PC, MAc, iOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and soon Android.
Even though it’s outside the Play Store, the Sensor Tower says Fortnite enthusiasts will most likely still be willing to bother installing the game so Fortnite Android is projected to make the same amount of money as on iOS, if not more.
If it turns out that it will later make money, Fortnite will be a bad precedent for the Goolge Play Store. If Epic Games can be successful outside of the Play Store, why can’t others? Fortnite is now only available in beta for users of certain types of Samsung Android devices in the Samsung Application store. The new Epic Games will display the game with the battle royale genre on its site when it is final.