Google is letting you try games that are available in the Play Store before downloading and installing them.
Google Play Instant is now rolling out for games inside the Play Store. The feature essentially allows users to play trial games before downloading and installing them. It will be a part of the game and gives “instant” access to its gameplay and features. If users like it, they can later download the full game. The announcement was made during the ongoing Game Developer Conference, which is currently happening in San Francisco.
At the moment, there are a handful of games available such as Clash Royale, Words with Friends 2, Bubble Witch 3 Saga and more. However, the list is likely to grow gradually as more developers come on board. You can play a trial game by tapping on the “Try Now” button, which will let you play some initial levels. There is a new “Arcade” option where users can check out related YouTube videos or news about a particular game.
The feature is currently in closed beta, meaning a few developers will be able to take advantage of it. Google noted in its blog post that the number of Android users who have installed a game from the Play store has doubled during the last year. In fact, 40 per cent of that growth came from emerging markets, including Brazil, India, Indonesia and Mexico. The feature is clearly aimed at users to download more games from the Play Store. Instant Apps were first launched at Google I/O developer conference in 2016.