Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Google Play Games for Windows PCs rolls out in limited beta

By Jesse Hollington January 19, 2022

During The Game Awards 2021 last month, Google teased us with the news of its plans to bring Google Play Games to Windows PCs this year. Now, it looks like the company is taking the first steps to make that a reality.

Today, Google is opening sign-ups to begin testing Google Play Games for PC as a beta in three countries: Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Animation of Google Play Games syncing seamlessly between multiple devices.

Not every game in the Google Play catalog will be available at launch, although the limited beta promises early testers access to some of the most popular mobile games, including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Summoners War, State of Survival: The Joker Collaboration, and Three Kingdoms Tactics.

Although the initial beta is fairly limited at this point, it’s a promising move that will hopefully lead to wider availability soon. One of Google’s biggest goals in 2022 is to make all of its products and services work better together, and bringing Google Play Games to Windows PCs is a bold move in that direction.

Specifically, Google is also showcasing the experience in a new preview video, promising that users will be able to enjoy “immersive and seamless gaming sessions between a phone, tablet, Chromebook, and Windows PC.” Progress and achievements will be synced transparently when switching between devices, and gamers can earn Play Points for Google Play Games activity on PCs the same as they can on their favorite mobile devices.

Since many mobile games still need to be optimized to provide the best experience for Windows gamers, Google is also opening up a new developer site to allow Android developers to learn more about Google Play Games and how to optimize their existing games for cross-platform play on Windows PCs.

This is only the start, and Google says it will have more to share on future beta expansion into more regions soon.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Jesse Hollington

Mobile Writer

Jesse has been a technology enthusiast for his entire life — he probably would have been born with an iPhone in his hand…

Computing

Microsoft adds message on unsupported PCs running Windows 11

Windows 11 device sitting on a stool.

With the right tweaks, it has always been possible to run Windows 11 on devices that do not meet minimum specs, but Microsoft is now taking this practice more seriously. Just a month after banner messages first appeared for select Windows Insiders running the operating system on unsupported PCs, Microsoft is now pushing bigger warning messages out to Windows Insiders regarding this matter.

Reportedly, the latest Windows Insider Beta and Release Preview builds of Windows 11 add a watermark to the desktop reading: System requirements not met, go to settings to learn more. This latest Microsoft move has been confirmed by multiple Twitter users, one of which shared the screenshot below. Microsoft didn't confirm the rollout of the messaging in any changelogs, but Digital Trends did notice it on one of our unsupported systems.

Mobile

Google Play is helping developers meet gamers where they are

Image of Google Play game running on a Windows PC.

Google Play is setting the stage for a big year of growth in mobile and cross-platform gaming, with several new initiatives to help and encourage developers to build even more exciting and engaging gaming experiences.

The increased power of modern smartphones as gaming powerhouses has allowed for the creation of more sophisticated mobile games, many of which can easily be called “console-quality.” However, this has also given rise to more demand from players to be able to enjoy these gaming experiences on a larger screen.

Mobile

Google Play Store removes info on apps’ most recent update

google play gift card on shelf

The Google Play Store has removed the ability for users to see when apps have been last updated. The feature is standard across most mobile app stores as it serves as a useful tool for mobile owners to stay informed about their software, but now Android users are being kept in the dark. Although other information such as file size and version number is still publicly available in the Google Play Store, the removal of the "last updated" feature in the UI has puzzled many users.

This change seems to have been a long time coming as Google tested the waters in November by removing the feature for select users, however, it was met with backlash from fans. Following the tests, the feature was brought back, and it seemed as if the Play Store was going back to normal for good, but as of now, the "last updated" section is gone for all Android users.