Google Play Games for PC will receive more premium titles and will be able to cross-purchase with Android

Buy once (or more) to play anywhere

While Google announced last year that it was opening the door to all Android games on WindowsThings haven’t worked out exactly that way. He ought However, it has been easy. None of these “Windows” games are actually built for Windows: Play Games uses virtualization to run a lightweight Android operating system in a container for the games. Hypothetically, all Android games should work, but there are still big gaps.

For example, Play Games for Windows has so far not supported paid games outside of those in Play Pass, and even some Play Pass content has been absent. In the latter case, this may be because the developers opted out. Google now says developers can choose to make Play Pass content available on both platforms. Still, the selection of free microtransaction factories on Play Games for PC hasn’t exactly screamed “premium experience.”

We should start to see more paid games appear for Windows, but Google is doing it in a strange way. While these are still Android games at their core, Google is treating Windows as a separate platform. Thus, he announced: “Buy once, play anywhere.” The idea is that developers can offer premium games on Google Play that include access to both Android and Windows.

On mobile, everything you buy is always available on all other Android phones and tablets, but apparently not on Windows. Developers must join this program to offer cross-buy functionality, and it’s currently unclear if it will be available for games you’ve previously purchased on Android. Google has also not explained how (if at all) premium games obtained through in-app purchases are compatible with this program. We are looking into the details and will update if we get answers.

Google is making progress as it builds out its desktop gaming catalog, but it still has a long way to go before it can attract new players. In the distant past, Google may have simply mirrored all mobile games to PC and called it a day, but Play Games on PC isn’t shaping up to be a Wild West. Google today is more deliberative and interested in control how applications are distributed. This is just another example of that mentality.