Deconstructor of Fun The Epic Settlement: Google's "Level Up" Program & The Future of DTC
Mar 23, 2026
Gil Tovly, CMO at AppCharge and payments expert for games, breaks down Google’s new 15% fee and the engineering ask of the Level Up program. He covers mandatory AI sidekicks, web shop economics, how new-user vs existing-user fees differ, and whether direct-to-consumer routes finally make financial sense. Short, strategic, and full of practical caution for studios deciding what to adopt.
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Headline 15 Percent Is Not The Full Story
- Google's headline 15% cut is conditional and often hides extra fees that bring effective rates to 20–30%.
- The 15% requires joining Level Up plus a separate 5% payments fee, so real costs depend on user status and payment choice.
AI Sidekick Requirement Raises UX And Data Red Flags
- Level Up mandates a player-facing AI sidekick (Gemini-like) and achievements as admission criteria, raising UX and data concerns.
- Developers worry about forced data collection and intrusive UI that may harm finely tuned gameplay experiences.
Level Up Forces Significant Backend Work
- Level Up requires integrating cloud saves, achievements, and Google-specific services, creating significant engineering overhead.
- Top studios already run multi-platform backends, so forcing Google cloud saves requires complex wraparounds to keep consistent UX.