Google has announced that it will offer Google Play Games to Windows PCs beginning next year, in one of the most significant cross-platform moves we’ve seen in a long time.
The announcement was made by host Geoff Keighley at The Game Awards 2021, who also published a quick teaser video. While there isn’t much else to go on, the promise is that you’ll be able to play your favorite mobile games on your Windows PC, so it appears that Google won’t be holding back on putting its greatest titles forward for cross-platform play.
According to Greg Hartrell, product director for Google Play games, customers will be able to move between an Android smartphone and Windows PC just as simply as they can now pick up gameplay on a Chromebook or tablet. “Google Play has helped billions of people find and play their favorite games across multiple platforms,” said Hartrell, adding that Google’s new initiative “brings the best of Google Play Games to more laptops and desktops, and we are thrilled to expand our platform for players to enjoy their favorite Android games even more.”
During the awards ceremony, Keighley stated that you will be able to “transfer games from your pocket to your PC and easily continue up where you left off.”
Because Chrome OS isn’t actually designed for gaming, and many lower-end Chromebooks are promoted more for work and study, support for Google Play Games on Windows PCs promises to be a game changer.
It’s unclear what the minimal requirements will be for Windows PCs to join, but Hartrell assures that Google will have more to offer shortly, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.