What to know

  • Google is reportedly planning to discontinue the Google Play Games app and integrate its features into the Google Play Store.
  • Key features like achievement tracking have already been added to the Play Store, with more features expected to follow.
  • While no official timeline has been announced, the transition is unlikely to happen before all key features are moved to the Play Store.
  • The Google Play Games for PC version, which launched in 2022 and is still in beta, is expected to remain available.

Google appears to be preparing another app for its infamous graveyard. According to reports from APK teardown specialists, the Google Play Games app for Android might soon be discontinued as the company moves its functionality directly into the Google Play Store.

The evidence for this potential shutdown comes from code analysis showing that Google has already begun integrating Play Games features into the main Play Store app. Achievement tracking, one of the most-used features of Play Games, is now available within the Play Store itself.

Additional features expected to migrate include gamer profile management and the ability to follow other gamers. These social gaming aspects would complete the transition of core Play Games functionality into the main store application.

The standalone Google Play Games app, which debuted in 2013, hasn't received significant updates in quite some time. This lack of development further supports speculation about its eventual discontinuation.

Google has not officially confirmed these plans or provided a timeline for when the Play Games app might be retired. However, sources suggest it won't happen until all key features have been successfully implemented in the Play Store.

This move aligns with Google's history of consolidating services and discontinuing standalone apps. In 2024 alone, Google shut down seven different products, and this would be the first major discontinuation announced in 2025.

The Google Play Games for PC version, which launched in 2022 and remains in beta, is expected to continue operating. This PC version has become particularly important since Microsoft ended Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), making Play Games for PC one of the few reliable ways to play Android games on Windows computers.

For most users, this consolidation could simplify their Android experience by reducing app clutter while maintaining gaming functionality. All game-related activities—discovery, downloads, achievements, and social features—would be centralized in the Play Store app that most Android users already interact with regularly.

Via: The Verge