The Google Play Pass bundle comprises of over 350 games and applications which come without ads, in-app purchases, and any sort of upfront payments.
Just days after Apple announced its gaming-service Apple Arcade, Google too throws its hat in the ring by announcing Google Play Pass on its Android operating system. The Google Play Pass is a subscription-based service providing users access to 350 plus premium mobile apps and games.
Moreover, users subscribing to the Play Pass service will get apps and games completely free of ads, in-app purchases or upfront payments. On a trial basis, the service is free for the first ten days upon signing it. Later, for the first year, Google has priced it to just $1.99 per month. After one year, one can continue the services for $4.99 per month.
Google plans to launch its Play Pass service this week in the United States. Later, it will release it to other countries in the next few weeks.
Google Play Pass vs Apple Arcade
Apple has announced that the Apple Arcade bundle will include games which are completely exclusive to the iOS platform. Meaning, they won’t be available on Android. Google has not put any restrictions for developers of Play Pass games and applications.
Rather, the Google Play Pass includes several cross-platform titles like the Monument Valley by the Ustwo Games. Some of the other popular apps in the Play Pass bundle include Terraria, Risk, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and AccuWeather.
Moreover, unlike Apple, Google won’t be funding the development of the apps within the Play Pass bundle. Neither does it have strict privacy requirements for apps as the Apple Arcade.
While highlighting how it plans of passing on the monetary benefits to developers, Google said it will be as per user “engagement” within the apps. Google has yet to come clean on this, but notes that it will be more than the number of weekly apps opens or screen-on times. The good thing is that all apps available on Play Pass bundle will also be available on the Google Play Store.
Besides, Google Play Pass family managers can also share their subscription to five other family members. Google says:
“Each family member can access Play Pass individually, so your experience won’t be affected by what others download. Play Pass also has a great selection of family-friendly content—from Toca Boca classics to the My Town series—so the whole family can enjoy”.
Google has also assured that it won’t be much hassle for Android developers to make their apps compatible with Play Pass. It says that developers using standards APIs for ads and in-app purchases can do away with it by a simple switchover. Thus, they don’t need to send two different versions of their apps.
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