this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2025
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They support games for Windows, Mac and Linux. And I'm sure they would support them for PS, Nintendo and Xbox if they weren't created with explicit intention of not allowing that sort of thing. Android is the only market they could feasibly enter and choose not to.
No but it also wouldn't be that difficult for a company with Valve's resources, and would be extremely lucrative.
Such as?
Paragraph 4.5 of Google Play's Developer Distribution Agreement is a rather large barrier. I'll paste it here:
I'd wager the majority of Android users have never downloaded an application other than from the Google Play Store. Even among those who would try, a large amount of them would probably get scared off by the "unverified sources" popup Android gives you if you try to install an app in another manner.
That's like saying Amazon has a "barrier" to online sales because they refuse to allow Target to sell products on their site for free. They're competing services, why would they allow that?
Developers most often distribute software outside of official repos in Windows and MacOS, and they do so successfully.
It's not that hard, you just follow the prompts on the screen.
I think you're overestimating the tech savvyness of the average person :P
The average user already uses Windows and/or MacOS, and I would argue those installation procedures are far more complicated.
The average person has never had to install Windows or MacOS, they buy a computer with it pre-installed. And they buy phones with Google Play pre-installed.
We're not talking about installing an operating system. I'm not suggesting Steam create their own OS (although they're also doing that). We're talking about installing an app.
Then why did you bring it up?
I just explained this in the comment you replied to.
You didn't explain anything. You said it's easier than installing Windows, and then you said you weren't talking about installing Windows. Huh?
No I didn't. What I said was:
I'm saying it's easier to sideload apps on Android than it is on Windows and MacOS, where it is the primary distribution method used by average people every day.
That's very much not true then. Have you ever tried to set up a third party store like F-Droid?
Android requires you to dig into the settings before you can install third party APKs, and gives you several big scary warnings about it. If you download an APK from the web browser, it will then prevent you from directly opening it, claiming it's to protect you from malware. Instead you have to open the file browser and find it in your downloads folder, then you can install it from there. Finally, it will give you even more big scary warnings about letting any app that isn't Google Play have permissions to install its own APKs.
I've installed them all. FDroid, Obtainium, Aurora, Accrescent, along with a slew of other sideloaded independent apps, on several devices. That's not how it works.
If you sideload an app, a pop-up will ask if you want to enable the current app to install the new app and give the typical warning about malware that you'll get on any OS (for good reason). You click the pop-up, it redirects you to the proper location in the settings app, you toggle the switch and...that's it.
The instructions are right here on Epic's website
Yes that's how it works on Windows and Mac as well.
Those are all PC platforms. And Mac support is mostly dead after what Apple did.
Yes, I am aware. Which is why I continued my explanation after that.
Why would you think that? Of course it would be difficult, it's a massive undertaking.
Amazon and Epic have both tried to launch their own Android storefronts. Neither one has been even remotely successful. Amazon will be shutting theirs down soon.
For the reason I mentioned in the OP. Because it's been done before, several times. Including by Epic, with a fraction of Valve's resources.
Everything I've read about the Amazon store indicates that it sucks on every level, for all parties.
The Epic Store is only a few months old. And they can't even make a decent or profitable app for PC so I'd be very unsurprised if their mobile app is also trash.
Amazon and Epic both failed because it is not easy to move into a market that Google has such a dominant monopoly over. It's not that simple.
Epic has not failed (yet). As I just said, it's only been around for a few months.
I disagree about Amazon for reasons I've already stated so we'll have to agree to disagree on that.
Why'd you even make this thread if you were just going to reject any answers given to you?
I'm not rejecting anything. It's called a discussion. They could very well be right. I just disagree.