Google is taking significant strides with Google Play Games on PC, aiming to expand the availability of Android games on this platform. In an exciting development, Google plans to make every Android game accessible on PC by default, unless developers choose to opt out. Previously, developers needed to opt in, which limited the selection. This change promises a much broader catalogue of games for PC users.
Pushing to Blur the Lines Between Mobile and Desktop Gaming
Currently, Google Play Games boasts over 50 native PC games. Google is set to open the platform to all PC developers later this year, allowing them to bring their titles to Google Play Games. To help users identify games that perform well on PC, Google will introduce playability badges. Games labeled as ‘optimized’ will meet Google’s high standards for quality and performance. Those marked as ‘playable’ will meet the minimum requirements, while ‘untested’ games won’t appear in regular browsing and will require direct searches to find.
This initiative is reminiscent of Steam's compatibility badges for the Steam Deck. If Google successfully transitions a significant portion of its Android games to PC, it could pose a serious challenge to Steam's dominance in the PC gaming market.
In addition to expanding Android games to PC, Google Play Games is also bringing popular PC games to Android devices. The game Dredge is already available, and TABS Mobile and Disco Elysium are slated for release later this year. These PC-to-mobile ports will be fully optimized for touchscreen use.
If Google can seamlessly integrate this cross-platform functionality, it could revolutionize gaming by allowing users to purchase a game once and enjoy it on both their phone and PC without additional complications. For more details on Google's gaming plans, be sure to check out their official blog post.
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