Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan are the first three countries to test the new Google Play Games platform, before a hypothetical arrival in Europe within a few months.
Google today launches a closed beta of Google Play Games (GPG), a system that will allow access to Android games directly on a standard computer, without going through an emulation system.
Access will be through a dedicated Google app; the firm promises an uninterrupted and cross-platform gaming experience that will cover the entire current technological ecosystem, from smartphones and PCs to tablets and Chromebooks. “Players will be able to choose, download, and enjoy their favorite games on their PC while taking advantage of the big screen and the keyboard-mouse pair”, explains Ardun Dayal, product manager at Google Play Games.
Certainly, in theory, the new Windows 11 is already compatible with Android applications… but only with those found on the Amazon Store, which makes the system almost useless in practice. With Google Play Games All PlayStore titles should be compatible without exception. Quite a change, since until now, it has always been necessary to fall back on third-party applications.
All the features that we know from Android will be accessible via the PC version. For example, seasoned completists will be happy to learn that they can still unlock PlayPoints and rewards. Moreover, the app will also have a cross-play feature. This will allow you to enjoy your favorite title with a friend or family member who has remained on Android with a minimum of constraints.
Only three Asian countries concerned for the moment
A not uninteresting concept, but which has many limits starting with the nature of the applications concerned. Indeed, it seems that this GPG only works with video games; utility applications, they fall by the wayside. It looks like a missed opportunity, but on the other hand, there are already well-established solutions that already do this very well, such as Bluestacks or the Wine emulator.
There is still the question of availability. Indeed, at present, this beta is only available in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. The European public will therefore probably have to wait a while before being able to get their hands on this product… assuming that it ever arrives in Europe. This will presumably depend on the results of the Asian beta; if it finds its audience, Google Play Games should certainly be made available in our regions in the coming months. See you in some time to find out if the mayonnaise has taken, or if GPG will also end up in the huge cemetery of projects scuttled by Google along the way.
