What you need to know
- Efforts to bring Android apps to Windows PCs have existed for years, with Microsoft recently building its own implementation into Windows 11.
- During The Game Awards 2021, Google took the stage to announce that it's bringing Google Play Games to Windows PCs.
- Google is using its own technologies to port the Google Play Games platform from Android to Windows sometime in 2022.
- More details about how exactly this will work for players will be shared in the future.
The Game Awards 2021 is celebrating the best PC games of the year while also helping announce the future with new games, trailers and updates, and more. During The Game Awards, Google made a surprise appearance to announce an exciting venture that'll help bring two platforms closer together: Google Play Games is coming to Windows in 2022. The move will bring one of the largest gaming ecosystems from Android to Windows PCs, letting players access hundreds of Android titles from their desktops.
Android apps on Windows are nothing new, as emulation solutions have existed for years. With Windows 11, Microsoft integrated its own Android emulation technologies directly into the platform, with Windows Insiders now able to test out apps from the Amazon Appstore. However, Google's efforts to bring Google Play Games to Windows don't rely on Microsoft's technologies and has been in the works at Google for quite some time as a standalone product.
The move means that players will be able to access titles from the Google Play Games ecosystem on Android phones and tablets, Chromebooks, and Windows PCs simultaneously and with seamless switching between devices. Google didn't share a ton of details about how exactly the experience will play out for users, but we'll learn more about the upcoming desktop application in the future.
The Google Play Games ecosystem is reportedly accessed by over 2.5 billion users every month, and features some of the best Android games on the platform. The application has been designed with feedback from Google's community and developers in mind, hopefully resulting in a polished experience when Google Play Games releases on Windows PCs in 2022.
