This section of the Android developer guides describes how to add Google Play features that are specifically designed for game development. Google Play supports Android game development by providing cross platform game services and distribution through the Google Play Store.
In this section
Here's what's covered in these guides:
Google Play Games Services is a set of gaming and distribution features that provide social engagement and multi-device support on Android and Chrome OS. Some of the features include friends lists, achievements, leaderboards, sign-in, and saved games. In addition, Windows distribution is supported through Google Play Games for PC.
Google Play Games for PC is a platform that brings your Android game to Windows using high performance emulation and cross-device play between Android, Chrome OS, and Windows while using the same code base.
Google Play Instant allows potential players to launch native games from the Google Play Store without installing them. With this feature, you can expose additional players to your game without requiring that they commit time and device resources to a full installation.
Play as you download allows players to quickly start playing your game after a small download while the remaining game files are downloaded in the background.
Additional Google Play features
Here are some additional Google Play features that support game development:
- Save game data in the cloud and synchronize it on multiple devices.
- Notify players about game updates using In-app updates.
- Use the SafetyNet Attestation API to verify whether your servers are interacting with a genuine version of your game.
- Manage billing, in-app purchases, and provide subscriptions using the Google Play billing system.
- Enable user reviews and social engagement.
For more information about app development with Google Play, see the Google Play developer guides.