Apologies if there is an obvious answer. I've done some googling and I believe I found the answer at one point but now I'm not getting any relevant hits.

If I am required to circumvent the app store, is it possible to publish a game to a website that people can visit in a mobile browser and download and install like any other app?

I'm new to development, but trying to get a good sense of what my obstacles will be in every step of development and publication.

I'm curious about what experiences people have with publishing "around" Google Play and if there are any particular success stories or problems I should be aware of.

Thanks!