Google takes on Apple Arcade, unveils Android gaming service

San Francisco, Sep 24 (IANS) After Apple brought its gaming subscription service Arcade for Rs 99 a month this month, Google has now announced a new subscription service “Play Pass” for $4.99 a month.

“Play Pass” will give you access to more than 350 apps and games that are completely unlocked — free of ads, in-app purchases and upfront payments. “Play Pass offers a high-quality, curated collection of titles from Stardew Valley to AccuWeather, with new apps and games added every month,” Austin Shoemaker, Group Product Manager, Google Play, in a statement late Monday.

Play Pass is coming to Android devices in the US this week, and will arrive in additional countries soon.
“You can get started with a 10-day free trial and subscribe for just $4.99/month. And for a limited time, you can get Play Pass for only $1.99/month for your first twelve months, then $4.99/month,” said Google.

Play pass opens access to well-known apps and games like Terraria, Monument Valley, Risk, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and AccuWeather. To make all of these apps and games easier to find, Google has added a new Play Pass tab for subscribers.

All apps and games found on the Play Pass homepage or throughout the Play Store with the ticket are completely unlocked with the subscription, said Google. Apple Arcade is a game subscription service available for Rs 99 a month, with over 100 new games designed with the world’s most innovative developers.

The gaming service on the App Store is available in over 150 countries with iOS 13 and has been launched with a one-month free trial. Apple Arcade gaming service will have games from developers like Konami, Capcom and Annapurna Interactive, and more.

–IANS
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