Best Of

Chinese players don't have access to Google Play at all, why 90% of them can still play on Android but 10% got banned?
If this is illegitimate, why Kabam even allow Chinese players to login from Android device?
The system is simply faulty.

They have access to Apple, which is allowed to the best of my knowledge.

So you are saying Kabam should ban all Android players in China? I don't think Kabam want to do that IMO

I'm not telling Kabam to do anything. What I'm saying is, from a logistic standpoint, anyone who doesn't use the approved methods of installation and game play is violating ToS and is subject to action. Legally, that's just how it is.

So you agree Kabam can't afford to do this, if Kabam can't do it (li

I care about the game, and I sympathize with the people affected. What I won't do is abandon logic.

You want logic? Everyone knows that more cheaters showed up after PC version was release, then Kabam decided to ban Android players, tell me where is the logic.

They literally explained it. Since they have new methods of detection, they've been able to detect more.
Also, Kabam didn't decide to ban Android Players. China decided to ban Google Play, 15 years ago. Any other methods aren't supported, likely for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious is the game isn't designed to be optimized through those ways. Secondly, they've had a long-standing partnership with Google.
If Chinese Players have an issue with Android being prohibited, they need to take it up with their local government. Not Kabam.

Nah. This is on kabam in regards to not providing a demographic an official alternative.

I fully understand the logic of not allowing unofficial mcoc APK installs. So, why not allow for the APK to be downloaded directly from MCOC's website the same way the launcher for PC is available despite the obvious plans to also release through steam? Provide the Chinese community or any other community that has no say whatsoever in the restrictions their governments impose upon them in regards to access to the play store or other official channels and just offer it directly... Preferably before unilaterally deciding that these people are cheating.

I agree here. What should have happened was:
1. A blanket message sent in game to warn people that this was coming.
2. A legitimate APK to download

I think this can’t happen because Kabam probably isn’t verifying the checksum of the game on startup. If they aren’t it’s completely unacceptable.

I am way more familiar with the situation with iOS than Android so I don't know all of the politics involved here, but one problem I am aware of is the fact that you would have to instruct players to enable installation from unknown sources if you do not distribute via the Google Play store (and thus have signed APKs from them). There is a substantial liability issue that would potentially accrue to Kabam if they were to officially recommend that option or state that it was an officially supported way to play the game, and from past experience I believe it is safe to say Kabam's legal department is very risk averse. Even if the developers wanted to support that as an option, I'm skeptical corporate would allow them to do it.

As to the blanket message, they've sent such messages repeatedly in in-game mail warning people not to use unauthorized software and to only download the game from authorized sources. The problem is not that the messages were ambiguous, it is that most people were not reading them at all. Every time I say this, people claim to have never even received such messages ever.