Google Play Games is coming to Windows 10 and 11

Windows 11 can run Android apps and games, and we show you how to install them using WSA and APK side-loading. But, it turns out, Google has something different planned for PCs.

The search giant will bring Google Play Games to Windows 10 and 11, in 2022. Google made the surprise announcement during The Game Awards 2021.

What is Google Play Games for Windows anyway?

You will be able to play Android games on Windows. Why however? Why not? More options are always welcome. This is not the first time that the Mountain View company has entered the video game market; of course I mean Stadia, the game streaming platform.

Unfortunately, that’s the extent of what we know about the new platform. Google did not share screenshots or videos about it.

Windows Central reports that Google’s technology is standalone, unlike Microsoft’s Android emulation that relies on the Amazon Appstore. The blog post refers to an application that has been designed based on feedback from the Google community and developers. It will allow gamers to access its content simultaneously on Android phones and tablets, Chromebooks, and of course, Windows computers.

From what I can understand, it will probably be a desktop client that will allow you to browse the Google Play Store, download and buy Android games. Since you will need to run the games, it will most likely include an Android emulator.

That is, unless Google decides to go the Stadia way to stream the games. The writing of the report doesn’t seem to suggest this, so my money is in a proper desktop tool. Why else would they specifically mention Windows 10 and 11 if it is a web-based solution?

The key difference between running Android apps on Windows 11 and Google Play Games’ Windows 10/11 compatibility is that the latter seems to be exclusive to games. This is a bit strange, but perhaps Google didn’t want to go all the way with Android app support like it does with Chromebooks. That market certainly has its own value, albeit to a niche audience, which in turn gives it and OEMs a chance to profit.

Good to see that Windows 10 will be compatible with Google Play Games. Hopefully this will turn into Android app support. As a PC / PS4 gamer, I care little for mobile games, except for some quality gems. I’m more interested to see if it will allow users to download apps via APK.

However, Google’s target audience will probably appreciate it more. Playing games with a mouse and keyboard should offer a significantly better experience for those who find playing on touchscreen devices tedious. The other advantage would be to buy games on a single platform and to be able to play them on a big screen, it is more pleasant to look at, especially for games with a lot of text.

As a former Lumia 640 user, the absence of official Google apps was very noticeable to me on Windows Phone. Frankly, I’m surprised that Google decided to support the Windows ecosystem. On the other hand, I think his hand was forced by Microsoft’s association with Amazon. Perhaps Google couldn’t afford to lose a potentially lucrative system.

What do you think about Google Play Games for Windows?

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