Google Play Games: Android Games Now on PC

Google is making significant strides with Google Play Games on PC, expanding its reach to include more Android and native PC games on the platform. Starting soon, all Android games will be available on PC by default, unless developers opt out. Previously, developers had to opt in, which limited the available catalog.

Pushing to Blur the Lines Between Mobile and Desktop Gaming

Currently, over 50 native PC games are accessible on Google Play Games. Later this year, Google plans to open the platform to all PC developers, enabling them to bring their games over. To help users identify games that perform well on PC, Google is introducing playability badges. Games labeled as 'optimized' meet Google's quality standards for a superior experience. Those marked as 'playable' meet the minimum requirements, while 'untested' games won't appear in normal browsing and must be searched for directly.

This initiative is reminiscent of Steam's compatibility badges for the Steam Deck. If Google successfully brings most of its Android games to PC, it could pose a significant challenge to Steam.

On the flip side, Google Play Games is also bringing well-known PC games to Android devices. Dredge is already available, with TABS Mobile and Disco Elysium set to join later this year. These PC-to-mobile ports will be fully optimized for touchscreens.

If Google can execute a seamless cross-platform setup, users could purchase a game once and enjoy it on both their phone and PC without additional hassle. For more details on Google's gaming plans, be sure to check out their official blog post.

In other gaming news, don't miss our coverage of New Star GP, an arcade racing game from the creators of New Star Soccer.