Google Play targets PC gamers with some big upgrades

All too often, Google Play feels like a bit of a workhorse. You go there to find your apps when setting up a new device, pop in once in a while to check out the latest new app to launch, and maybe troll the update screen every few months. But Google’s been working hard to make Play feel much more welcoming, especially for gamers. This year at the annual GDC Festival of Gaming, Google shares the latest ways it’s improving Play with gamers in mind.

Not always sure if you’re going to like a game? PC gamers are used to the permissive refund policies of platforms like Steam effectively working like a universal demo system, letting you try out games before fully committing to them. While Google’s not about to do anything quite that broad, it now confirms that Game Trials are coming to select titles.

We first spotted work towards supporting try-before-you-buy demos earlier this year, and Google now says that Game Trials will first debut for certain paid Android games. That will eventually expand to Google Play Games on PC at some point in the future.

Speaking of PC titles, Google has some great news for gamers who equally appreciate PC and mobile platforms: Play is introducing new “buy once, play anywhere” pricing for certain games, and when you purchase one of these on either platform, you’ll also get free access on the other. That list is set to include titles like Dungeon Clawler and Reigns games, and Play gets started with this system today.

Google’s interested in giving gamers a better selection of premium, paid games across the board. Free-to-play may be a convenient way to pick something new up, but we all know how frustrating it can be to deal with constant pushes towards microtransactions. If you’d rather just pay upfront for a good time, Google says that it’s focusing on bringing more indie games to Play, including Peaks, Sledding Game, and Low-Budget Repairs — all in the months to come.

Discovering new PC games is also getting easier, thanks to a dedicated tab in the Play Store — even on mobile.

Remember Sidekick, the AI-powered system Google announced last year for offering a little helpful advice during challenging games? Your chance to see if it lives up to its promise is now arriving, as Google opens up access for select paid PC games. And finally, if you’d rather just get some tips from another human player, Google is expanding Play’s Community Posts forums to support more games and discussions in additional languages.