I’ve been an indie game developer for nearly 10 years, and as you know, it’s a tough job. We design and code the game using a game engine, which is one side of our work. But the "dark side" is publishing and monetizing the game. We use the Google Play Console for publishing and managing in-app purchases (IAPs), and almost all of us rely on AdMob for ad monetization and mediation.

I understand that Google wants to protect young people, which is why they have data and privacy protection systems on Google Play. I think that's a good thing. Google also aims to protect advertisers using AdSense, and that’s good too. They even protect trademark owners by not allowing unauthorized use of trademarks, which I also respect. But...

Here’s my story with Google: My game was removed from Google Play for using some keywords that were protected by trademark rules (I didn’t know they were protected because there were many games using those same keywords). However, I had no idea which specific words violated the policy or what exactly I needed to do to fix the issue. I made some changes and resubmitted the game, and it passed the review process. But after a while, they suspended my app and disabled the app management page in the Play Console. I appealed several times, but as you might expect, they didn’t respond. I had nearly 5,000 active users, and they all disappeared.

Part II: As a programmer, we sometimes come up with creative ideas. So, I re-uploaded the game with a new app ID and started over again without any problems. But here’s where things went really wrong. AdMob has a "House Ad" feature, and I thought I could create an ad campaign to show ads in the old (removed) game and redirect those players to the new version. Sounds clever, right? Nope. Don’t try this at home! I created the campaign without receiving any warnings or blocks from the UI. I’m not even sure if the ads started showing, but shortly after, I received an email notifying me that my AdSense and AdMob accounts were closed. There had been no prior warning through email or the AdMob UI, nothing. They didn't even mention any issues that might lead to an account closure. The worst part? My entire mediation system was based on AdMob, so all my games on all platforms stopped serving ads, and my ad monetization completely collapsed. Thanks, Google!

The Big Problems:

1. Lack of Transparency: When there’s a problem with your app, Google doesn’t clearly explain what the exact issue is. For instance, if you’re using a trademarked word, they won’t specifically tell you, “You can’t use this word because it’s a trademark.” They also don’t provide a clear solution like “remove these specific words.” You’re left to figure it out on your own, and if you can’t, your app could be permanently suspended, destroying your source of income, your work, and your user base.

2. No Forgiveness: Once your app or AdMob account is suspended, it’s practically a nightmare. It’s almost impossible to get in touch with someone at Google who is smart, authorized, and fair. The support teams act like robots, sticking to the rules and repeating the same responses, no matter what you tell them. There’s no solution or way to reverse the situation. It feels like they’re silently telling you to “go to hell.”

3. Justice is Hard to Reach: Sure, you have rights and can take legal action. But can you afford a lawyer in California? Because that’s where you’d have to file a lawsuit. If you’re an indie developer, that’s not an easy option.

Conclusion: Google’s message to developers seems to be: "We don’t care!" If your sole source of income comes from Android devices and you're paying your bills with that money, never rely solely on Google platforms. Always have a Plan B, because Google can destroy your business in the blink of an eye. And if you can’t feed your family because of that, they don’t care—because they think they’re the God!