Android’s popularity, specially as a gaming platform is growing exponentially, and Google seems to be ramping up the pace even more. Google is more devoted than ever to offer the latest gaming features on its Android platform.
Apple has the Game Center app on iOS, which syncs your saved games, achievements and offers matchmaking based on skill/level/time spent. Android’s platform has been missing these gaming features but that seems to be a thing of the past.
A recent update in the Android firmware reveals Google Play Games, touted as Android’s answer to Apple’s Game Center by Android Police. This service will bring lobbies and invites for matchmaking, in-game chat, cloud game saves, achievements and leaderboards to the platform. Android Police reports that this update is being rolled out to devices very slowly by Google, and your device is in the waiting line.
This update will bring up a green controller icon on your homescreen called Play Games. Launching this app, you’ll have to log in with your account details. Sadly, Play Games is managed by Google+, so you’ll be stuck to this redundant social network if you’d like to invite your friends to a multiplayer match. Ugh.
The app doesn’t do anything as of now, since there are no games that support it, yet. Android Police went as far as digging into the code of Google Play Games and confirmed the existence of cloud saves; invites; matchmaking; lobbies; achievements; leaderboards; and loads of Google+ integration.
Android, primarily popular in the Asian countries, is slowly making ground in the West against the iOS, as many reports suggest. Android has recently outsold Apple’s smartphone platform, and looks to reach 1 billion activations soon.
Thanks, VG247.
