Google is making a significant push to expand its Google Play Games on PC platform, announcing that all mobile Android games will be available by default on the platform unless a developer opts out. This change could significantly boost the number of games available on the platform, as previously, developers had to opt in.

The announcement comes ahead of the Game Developers Conference next week and marks a major expansion of Google Play Games on PC, which was originally launched in beta in 2022 as a way for people to play Android games on their PC. Since then, Google has been slowly expanding its availability and building on the program.

As part of its announcements, Google is also introducing a new "playability badge" system for mobile games that are available on PC. The system, which is reminiscent of Steam's badges for Steam Deck compatibility, will highlight how well a game runs on PC. An "optimized" badge means a game "meets all of our quality standards for a great gaming experience," while a "playable" badge means a game "meets the minimum requirements to play well on a PC." If a game has an "untested" badge, it will only be visible to users who specifically search for it.

In addition to expanding its Android game offerings, Google is also investing more in bringing PC games to Google Play Games on PC. There are already over 50 native PC titles on the platform, and later this year, Google plans to open up its native PC program to all native PC developers so they can bring over their games.

Google is also making Google Play Games on PC more widely available, offering the full catalog on AMD laptops and desktops, and partnering with PC OEMs to make Google Play Games accessible right from the start menu on new devices starting this year. The company is also rolling out multi-account and multi-instance support for Google Play Games on PC this month, and plans to make the platform generally available later this year.

The move marks a significant expansion of Google's gaming ambitions, and could potentially challenge other PC gaming platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store. With its massive library of Android games and growing support for native PC titles, Google Play Games on PC is poised to become a major player in the gaming industry.

For developers, the expanded platform offers new opportunities to reach a wider audience and tap into the growing PC gaming market. With Google's playability badge system and native PC support, developers can ensure that their games are optimized for PC and reach the largest possible audience.

As the gaming industry continues to evolve, Google's move to expand Google Play Games on PC is a significant development that could have far-reaching implications for the industry as a whole. With its massive resources and growing gaming ambitions, Google is well-positioned to become a major player in the PC gaming market.