Google Play is adding a batch of new discovery and social features for games, including a personalized Game Finder, timed competitive Sprints, and clip-sharing via its Sidekick overlay.
The company outlined the changes in a blog post from Google Play vice president and general manager Sam Bright, alongside a separate developer post. Google said its You tab has passed 250m monthly active users, and that its gaming platform connects more than 700m gamer profiles.
Game Finder suggests games based on a player’s tastes, habits, and community reviews, and shows why each one was picked. It begins rolling out in the US for English-language users, with other markets to follow.
Sprints last 48 hours and match small groups of players with similar skill levels. Playbacks, meanwhile, let Sidekick users capture 30-second clips and send them to friends without exiting the game. Google said Sidekick has reached more than 285m users.
Elsewhere, Quests will start offering in-game items such as skins and boosters, not just Play Points. Google is also adding Game Playlists for curating collections, and bringing PC titles including Dave the Diver and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun to Play, with cloud save across Android and PC.
Game Trials, which let players sample premium games before buying, are also moving from mobile to PC.
Studios can opt in through Game Stats, which unlocks daily Streaks and eligibility for Leagues and Sprints, and Play Games Rewards, which ties in-game rewards to Play Points.
Google’s Apps Experience and Level Up programs give standout titles lower service fees. PUBG Mobile, which has integrated the Level Up guidelines, saw new installs from high-value players rise 22% and spend per buyer among engaged players rise 62%, according to Google. Both programs cover the US, UK, EEA, Japan, and Australia, with Korea due before the year is out.
Google also said Play in Gemini has generated more than 6m app installs since launching two months ago, and that it will reach all Gemini users soon.
Back in March, Google Play announced a slew of new features to improve the discoverability and purchase appeal of its PC and mobile games.