Key product updates from the 2024 Google for Games Developer Summit

Posted by Aurash Mahbod – General Manager, Games on Google Play

We’re on a mission to make Google Play the best destination for gaming, and your amazing games are what make it possible. That’s why we’re investing in tools that empower you to achieve more by increasing user engagement, accelerating your business growth, and maximizing your reach.

Today, we shared more details about those investments at the Google for Games Developer Summit. Check out the Keynote session on demand, or keep reading for key product updates from the summit.

More ways to increase user engagement

We know that identity, progress, and achievements are important to gamers. With Play Games Services (PGS), gamers can switch between devices and jump back into gameplay instantly, on any device connected with PGS¹. Based on your feedback, we’ve made it easier for you to integrate PGS and provide more relevant experiences for your users:

• No database changes are required to integrate PGS, and you no longer need to store the association between in-game accounts and PGS profiles.

• You can start automatically syncing your users’ sign in information via PGS, including those without a profile, ensuring their progress is available to be synced when they change to a new device².

• Throughout this year, we’re rolling out more ways for you to create engaging in-game content by achievement level or game progress. For example, you will be able to create Quests within your game to challenge players while unlocking rewards using Play Points.

To start creating these engaging experiences within your game, integrate PGS today — and stay tuned for more capabilities coming soon.

We’ve also been working to tailor our store experience to better engage users who’ve already installed your game. Starting today, we’re rolling out enhancements to store listings to more prominently display your game updates, new content, and promotions directly within Play³. Your store listing page will source relevant content to keep your audience engaged with your game, including your latest YouTube videos, AI-generated FAQs, and more.

These improvements are currently limited to English language users and to select titles that are part of the early access program. If you’re interested in testing the enhanced store listing for your game and helping shape this feature with your feedback, you can express interest here.

Expanded programs to accelerate growth

We’re also expanding our most popular programs to help you accelerate your business growth.

• With over 220M members, Google Play Points is one of the largest loyalty programs in the world. Available in over 35 markets and covering the vast majority of purchase-ready, active spenders, Play Points helps you retain users and reach new ones. This year, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be launching Google Play Points in Brazil.

• Play Points now offers the ability to set limited quantities for exclusive in-game offers, building excitement and boosting participation around limited deals. These offers have been highly effective at reaching paying users and driving repeat purchases.

• Google Play Pass, which has grown over 120% in subscriptions over the past year, is expanding to include in-game offers from popular games. We’re launching in-game offers in 21 markets including Japan, and launching Play Pass in Korea later this year.

New ways to maximize reach

Finally, to help you reach more users with your games, we’re making it easier to scale and grow your multi-platform games across mobile, tablets, Chromebooks, and Windows PCs⁵.

• We’re also making user acquisition campaigns easier and more helpful for PC games. You can now use the Play Install Referrer API for Google Play Games to achieve closed-loop marketing on PC, passing campaign or click information into your game so you can optimize marketing campaigns across ad networks, social, and other channels.

For more news from the Google for Games Developer Summit, check out g.co/gamedevsummit. You can also connect with us at GDC in San Francisco. We’ll be hosting a full day of sessions on March 19 and a week of hands-on product experience at the Moscone Center, West Hall, Level 2 Lobby from March 18 to March 22.

As always, thank you for partnering with us to bring amazing games to players everywhere.

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¹Subject to game availability and PC compatibility.

²This feature requires PGS SDK V2 integration. Developers can save sign-in information to PGS for users, but only retrieve this once the user has set up a profile.

³Feature availability limited to English language users and select titles that are part of the early access program.

⁴Google internal data. New buyer refers to users who made a purchase during this pilot experiment after making no purchase for the past 50 days.

⁵Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.

⁶Google internal data.