According to a report by Android Police, Google is discreetly integrating essential features of its Play Games app, which allows users to monitor achievements in Android games, directly into the Play Store. This move may indicate that the standalone Play Games app is on the verge of being discontinued.
Developer and APK teardown expert AssembleDebug shared on X that Google has not rolled out significant updates to the Google Play Games app’s user interface or features in recent months. However, AssembleDebug has noted changes in the Google Play Store app that include upcoming Gamer Profiles and the functionality to “follow” other users, indicating that the Play Store is already capable of tracking gamers’ achievements.
Launched in 2013, Google Play Games for Android was created to rival Apple’s Game Center at a time when mobile gaming was gaining significant traction, increasingly competing with handheld gaming consoles for users’ attention. Google has a history of shifting features between apps over time, as seen when Google Pay transitioned to Google Wallet.
It’s important to note that the Google Play Games app differs from the separate Google Play Games for PC service, which enables users to play select Android games on Windows computers and has been in beta for over three years. Recently, Google announced the addition of more games to the PC app, while the Android Play Games app appears to be heading toward obsolescence.
