Google Play Games introducing seriously cool gaming features

Google’s Play store has gone from strength to strength and both the indie games and AAA titles, especially those in Nvidia’s Tegrazone, have made big waves with the casual gaming community. Android’s gaming prowess today is as strong as iOS and the war between the ecosystems is about to go full nuclear with some major changes on the Google Play store.

Some Android devices are currently being seeded version 3.1.36 of Google Play Services, which is a software service that updates applications bought or downloaded from the Google Play network. The update is apparently rather large and contains hints to upcoming features and the firm’s new venture, Google Play Games.

Android Police recently got hold of the update file and perused through its contents. Its nearly double the size of the previous update and brings a lot of new features all at the same time. The back-end of the social connectivity side is handled by Google+ and you can use Hangouts and your Circles to invite your gaming buddies and share information about what you’re currently playing and they can check out your scores and play list, just like Steam.

Other confirmed features found by Android Police are:

Synced game saves for multiple device access
Icon badges to note if a game is compatible with the Games service
Multi-player matchmaking and friend invites
Achievements (ping!)
High scores and leaderboards
Gamer ranks based on your overall scores
Chat services (text-only at this point)
Player Avatars

The service update brings Google to the same level as other competing mobile solutions. The synced game save hints are all there and would allow for multiple devices using the same Google Games profile. You could save your game after you’re done playing on your Galaxy smartphone and continue where you left off with the Nexus 7 and a comfortable chair.

The multi-player macthmaking service will be interesting to check out as there’s no mention of how matches are made and if it’s per region or linked to your gamer score. You can also invite friends to play games with you or, if the game has the option, to watch the match as a spectator while they wait for the next round.

The biggest draw will be achievements. There’s a reason why we call them achievement whores – there are guys and gals out there with this insatiable need to see the little notification that says “Achievement unlocked” and hear that “ping!” sound when you make the magic happen. Some people I know will play any game to boost their gamer score on the Xbox.

Any game. Even if it happens to be My Little Pony or Dark Souls: Chuck Norris edition. Or Star Wars Kinect.

The leaderboards have a lot of information and you can view leaders on daily, weekly and monthly tables to see where you stack up with your friends. Presumably this also draws information from Google+ as well, so when you beat your friend’s score in GTA they will know the second it happens.

More information from Google Play Services isn’t available at this point, although its likely that this will all be revealed at Google I/O, which just so happens to take place in two day’s time, starting on 15 May. In addition, not only does this benefit all Android handsets that are compatible with the service, it’ll also benefit future OUYA owners as well as those of you who bought those Android-on-a-stick devices that have enough memory.