Google launches Android Games for Windows PCs in limited beta
Shortly after Microsoft announced that Windows 11 will run Android apps natively, Google revealed its own plans to bring Google Play Games for Windows. The platform has now been soft-launched in 3 Countries as a limited beta test.
Users who live in Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan can opt in to the waitlist at the official page for Google Play Games for Windows. If you're from another Country, you can still choose to be notified when the service is available in your region. Once you join the waitlist, you will get an email with instructions to check if your PC can run the games.
Google Play Games for Windows - Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 10 (v2004)
- Solid state drive (SSD)
- 20 GB of available storage space
- Gaming-class GPU
- 8 logical CPU cores
- 8 GB of RAM
- Windows admin account
- Hardware virtualization must be turned on
- Compatible PC device and configuration
Those are some pretty high requirements to run mobile games on a computer. The 8-core CPU requirement is especially surprising. That said, this is a beta test after all, so maybe things will change as the company optimizes the experience based on feedback from users.
How these games will run on a Windows computer still remains a mystery. I can only assume from those system requirements, specifically the virtualization part, that the app is essentially an emulator that runs on Android OS. I mean, the service does target Windows 10 users, and since it doesn't support Android apps natively, the upcoming service has to be an emulated experience, not a web-based platform like Stadia. The video below shows games being downloaded in the app.
Here's the video teaser for Google Play Games on PCs. Based on the information given on the page and seen in the video, Google Play Games for Windows will support for keyboard and mouse controls, obviously that is a must-have for any desktop program. The service will provide seamless cross-platform sync. So, you will be able to play the same games on your phone and PC, and switch between the two to pick up where you left off.
The service will offer Google Play Points for purchases made by users, that they can redeem for rewards. The sign-up page indicates that the Google Play Games moniker will refer to the PC experience, and that the mobile app is changing in the near future.
XDA and Ars Techinca report that the following games will be available at launch: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Summoners War, State of Survival: The Joker Collaboration, and Three Kingdoms Tactics. The waitlist page lists more games including Asphalt 9: Legends, Township, Dragon Mania Legends, Gardenscapes, War Planet Online: MMO Game, Cash Frenzy - Casino Slots, Cookie Run: Ovenbreak, Top War: Battle Game, Idle Heroes, Last Shelter: Survival, Rise of Empires: Ice and Fire, Magic Rush: Heroes, State of Survival: The Joker Collaboration, etc.
Those aren't exactly awe-inspiring titles, but I realize I'm not part of the service's target audience. The Mountain View company has not revealed a launch date for its Windows gaming platform, it only says that the beta program will expand to other regions in 2022 and beyond. Windows 11 supports the Amazon App Store, and you can side-load apps from third-party sources already. It is unclear whether Google will allow users to install Android apps from the Play Store.
From the size of the downlad, it is obvious Google is using the same functionality that Microsoft did, i.e. the Hyper-V. You get a full-blown virtual machine downloaded, runs android os, and booted under the hood, then your game will start inside it.
Aside from the techicals, it’s good Google offers this also to win-10 users. Hyper-V is available in w10, so I saw no reason (but the money) that Microsoft announced this just for win-11.
I’ll bet Google is salivating to get their tentacles even deeper into the Windows ecosystem than they can with browsers. Surveillance capitalism: distract the masses with uninspiring mobile games while they gather even more info for the profiling of users? Wouldn’t surprise me…
20GB!!! Is it bundling every single game in with the installer!?
Maybe I’m getting old, but I haven’t found a single decent game to play since 2014. All games feel the same now. Play one and played them all.
Just another project Google will kill soon.
@Akina I agree, currently NOX player is able to play any Android games with no higher requirements neither too difficult configuration or tweaking the system to get it functionally enough. Fuerthermore, It’s weird to see how Google wants to get inside W11 despite the promising W11 Linux system. First Firefox, now Windows and then Linux! A must see! :[
John G., currently this is a beta with beta specs. nox and bluestacks won’t be able to follow. i consider them as moribund products. they are more killed than a google product and that means a lot :)
@Anonymous maybe you’re right, it’s a good point indeed. :]
That’s funny, Google Play Games has billions of users already and they want to make it multiplatform to get even more. It’s like thinking Google is going to kill YouTube lol
A horse with a steering wheel or something. So many Googlesofties with nothing to do at work.
Why the hell the requirement of eight logical cores, oh come on, you development team! I have an AMD with only 4 logical cores (2 core x2) and I have been able to play any kind of Android Games with NOX emulator. Perfectly with no freezings nor glitches! Imho the NOX player emulator is amazingly better than Windows Linux System or Google’s anything recent stuff. Thanks @Ashwin! :]
pretty sure nox is a shady one.
It says 8 “logical” cores, not “physical” cores. Then it means an 4 core recent ryzen or core i5 with SMP will work okay, as it will have 8 logical cores. It isn’t surprising nor a high requirement.
Having said that, i find the games available lacking, albeit they are hand picked for the asian market, exactly where they are opening the beta. Not surprising either.
I hope the whole, or at least a good amount of games will be available once the stable product launches. It would be ironic to see Diablo Immortal on PC finally…
Mobile games aren’t that demanding. It’s just that mobile hardware is crap, even the high-end stuff.