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Google Play Games for PC, which brings Android games to Windows, enters beta testing

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.

Google today will begin rolling out a limited beta test of its newly announced Google Play Games for PC product in three overseas markets: Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. The Google Play Games PC application, which was announced last month during The Game Awards event, allows people to play Google Play games on Windows PCs, in addition to currently supported platforms like mobile, tablet and ChromeOS. The new PC support will include both laptops and desktops, Google said, and players will be able to pick up from where they left off when switching from another device, like their Android phone, over to their computer.

What do you think? Will you use it?
 

The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Will all Google play games be available to pc as well though?

Also, will it be a small window or actually full screen?

I was actually looking at it on my phone, and hates I can't use it on my iPad since they have their own platform.

But now that game pass has call of duty etc for double of the price of Google play pass, then it's hardly a competition
 

Buggy Loop

Member



What do you think? Will you use it?

Google play, hmm let me see..
stinky-cat.gif
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I truly can't imagine why I would ever want to play phone games on PC.
There are a surprising number of games that are released on Google Play but have no native PC version. Lots of those games have controller support and resolution scaling which make them a good fit for PC. For example, I'll be able to play Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition on my PC when this launches in the US. I'm personally looking forward to playing stuff like Dragon Quest, Valkyrie Profile, and Final Fantasy Dimensions on my PC (even if they have to be played with keyboard + mouse).

Additionally, if someone has an Android phone and a PC they can play games like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Dead Cells, etc. on both devices by just purchasing it once on Google Play.
 

Larxia

Member
There are a surprising number of games that are released on Google Play but have no native PC version. Lots of those games have controller support and resolution scaling which make them a good fit for PC. For example, I'll be able to play Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition on my PC when this launches in the US. I'm personally looking forward to playing stuff like Dragon Quest, Valkyrie Profile, and Final Fantasy Dimensions on my PC (even if they have to be played with keyboard + mouse).

Additionally, if someone has an Android phone and a PC they can play games like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Dead Cells, etc. on both devices by just purchasing it once on Google Play.
FF XV Pocket Edition already exists on PC, on the Windows Store. Not sure why you would ever want to play this terrible version instead of the real game though if you're going to play on PC.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
FF XV Pocket Edition already exists on PC, on the Windows Store. Not sure why you would ever want to play this terrible version instead of the real game though if you're going to play on PC.
But I already own the game on mobile, and if I want to play it on PC now I'd have to buy it again.

I also own the regular game on Steam, but I've played through it like three times, so I'm thinking my next playthrough will be the pocket edition again.
 

BigBooper

Member
10 years ago I would have been interested to play the kairosoft games. That was also pretty much the last time I bought an android game.
 
Worth a try to play some of those rythmn games like BanG Dream, Project Diva & Love Live on the big screen, a genre sorely lacking on PC.
 

FStubbs

Member
I wonder how touch and pinch will work with some of these games.

I wouldn't mind playing DQ4-6 on PC.

... I guess this means DQ8 will now be on PC as well, though it's the rattiest version of the game.

EDIT: Not counting emulation ...
 
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Miyazaki’s Slave

Gold Member



What do you think? Will you use it?
Yeah will try it for sure!

Having a deployment path for google play apps will be very helpful when it comes to planning for device support when release titles.

So many players use 3rd party emulators (for better or worse) and it can be a pain to offer them support when they have issues. At least developers can point those players toward an approved platform.
 

Relique

Member
Was hoping for something like this so will definitely try it. I know windows 11 supposedly offers something like this but I am in no hurry to upgrade my whole OS and potentially lose performance or outright break my existing PC games. This looks like a solid alternative.
I don't know much about android game offerings but at the very least I'd like to try SOTN and that mobile Nier game. I'll be looking for android recommendations once this is out.
 

nkarafo

Member
Is there even one game exclusive to this store, that's properly balanced without microtransactions and good?
 

Aenima

Member
Yeah will be using it if its better than the emulators. Some of the most graphic intense mobile games drain the CP battery like crazy, its nice to play those games for longer periods of time on PC.
 
As much as I hate mobile gaming, I'm also sort of excited for seamless "mobile" gaming on computers (hope Google and Apple do this for MacOS and Linux as well). Most games may be shit, but there's also some interesting things going on in this space. And I'd personally prefer to play some of these games on my computer than on my mobile.
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
Same way with mmobile apps on Mac, it's worthless, when you are expect it to shake with our phone, swipe, etc...
 

tusharngf

Member
this is just a start, to begin with. Imagine SOC's are getting more powerful every day. We have mobile phones that are more powerful than ps3. We already get so many consoles ports on mobile. There will be a time when most consoles games will come to mobile after some time. Google is placing its bet on PC store now. There is a huge market that can be captured and PC is not limited by hardware changes like console generations.
 
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Larxia

Member
We wanted the apps, not the games.
That's actually true, I'm really not a phone person so I have an old phone that I only use for basic stuff, but every now and then there can be something that requires an app and it's frustrating because it's something I should be able to do right on my computer, which would actually be more convenient to me. (Yes I know about emulators)
 

Haggard

Banned
Why would anyone want to play shitty mobile games while sitting in front of a pc where you have mouse and keyboard available?
 
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Finally I can use the pc for everything. Now its gonna be harder to catch people that are "using their phone" instead of working.

Jokes aside, if I can use this to play FinalFantasy games and such on pc or on my mobile with crosssaves then I'm all for it.
AFAIK Sony is also working on some games for mobiles. Which in this case should work on win11 pcs right away.
 
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Witchilich

Member
tachiyomi
use the sy fork, tachiyomisy and you will never go back to regular tachiyomi
Sorry, waiting for something that I can run on my surface pro 8 so currently either needs to be a good pwa or hopefully in the amazon app store.

I might see if installing Google play based apk is easier now.
Try this
It still does not have many of the features in tachiyomi like syncing your progress with tracking sites like anilist. The jui client for tachidesk is maintained by the same guy who made the sy fork.
 

reksveks

Member
use the sy fork, tachiyomisy and you will never go back to regular tachiyomi

Try this
It still does not have many of the features in tachiyomi like syncing your progress with tracking sites like anilist. The jui client for tachidesk is maintained by the same guy who made the sy fork.
Whilst I have your expertise, have you heard of Mylar (python app to search nzb indexes push to a client, and organising the completed files) and do you know of any alternative? I would be interested in replicating what I have for sonarr and couch potato but for comics/manga.

Then I am done derailing the thread.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
use the sy fork, tachiyomisy and you will never go back to regular tachiyomi

Try this
It still does not have many of the features in tachiyomi like syncing your progress with tracking sites like anilist. The jui client for tachidesk is maintained by the same guy who made the sy fork.
Its very bloated with nowhere near the same functionality as Tachiyomi and Armor wants to abandon the project. I would rather use Tachiyomi with Windows Subsystem for Android or Syer should just port the Sy fork to Windows instead of working on JUI. Still the best manga reader on PC, but far behind Tachiyomi.
 

tvdaXD

Member
I mean it'll beat using Bluestacks.
We wanted the apps, not the games.
Still waiting for the amazon app store. Need a good app for reading manga/comics.
You can install the Android Subsystem on Windows 11, it needs the Amazon app store but you can force install that using PowerShell, plenty of tutorials online for that. After that all you need to do is use Android Debug Bridge to sideload APK's and they'll appear in the start menu like Windows store apps.
This functionality is platform exclusive to Chromebooks 😉
So no, it isn't.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
You can install the Android Subsystem on Windows 11, it needs the Amazon app store but you can force install that using PowerShell, plenty of tutorials online for that. After that all you need to do is use Android Debug Bridge to sideload APK's and they'll appear in the start menu like Windows store apps.
Yeah, but it would be helpful if Google launched the Play Store(not the games) using Android Subsystem on Windows 11. Many devs do not release their apps outside of Play Store.
 

Bojanglez

The Amiga Brotherhood
You can install the Android Subsystem on Windows 11, it needs the Amazon app store but you can force install that using PowerShell, plenty of tutorials online for that. After that all you need to do is use Android Debug Bridge to sideload APK's and they'll appear in the start menu like Windows store apps.

So no, it isn't.
It was a joke.

Obviously almost any modern PC OS can run Android apps by various means, just none promote it as a feature out of the box with full Google Play Store (and Google Play Services) support like is the case for (most) Chromebooks.
 
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