Google Play Games: Android Games Now on PC

Google is making significant strides with Google Play Games on PC, aiming to bridge the gap between mobile and desktop gaming. They've announced that 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 game catalog.

Pushing to Blur the Lines Between Mobile and Desktop Gaming

Currently, over 50 native PC games are accessible through Google Play Games. Google plans to open this platform to all PC developers later this year. To help users identify games that perform well on PC, Google is introducing playability badges:

• Optimized: Indicates the game meets Google's quality standards for an exceptional experience.
• Playable: Shows the game meets the minimum requirements for PC play.
• Untested: These games won't appear in regular browsing; users must search for them directly.

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

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

If Google manages to perfect this cross-platform setup, it could revolutionize gaming, allowing players to buy a game once and enjoy it seamlessly on both their phone and PC. For more details, check out Google's official blog post on their plans for games.

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