Google Play Games for Android gets its new icon

Abner Li | Jan 30 2023 - 10:46 am PT

With the launch of Play Games for PC, Google introduced a new icon for the service that’s now coming to the Android app.

In 2016, Google redesigned the Play family of logos with a triangle motif. The various icons (book, newspaper, game controller, movie reel, and music note) slid up from that shape and stuck out at the top.

Over the years, Google Play Music was replaced by YouTube Music, Play Newsstand became Google News, and Play Movies is now Google TV. Of the Play family of apps, it’s just Play Books and Play Games, as well as the Play Store, today.

When Play Games for PC was teased in late 2021, Google introduced a new flatter, shadowless icon. It’s like the new Google Play logo released in 2022 for the store’s 10th birthday.

When the Windows gaming app actually launched last year, we got the final icon. It’s the right side of a game controller placed in a triangle. That background features a darker shade of green, while the interior icon is quite light. Google also uses a variant where the controller is transparent, and it’s placed on a black background.

That icon is now rolling out on Android with version 2023.01.40470. It’s, of course, placed in a white circle. You’ll see it in the app launcher and at the top of the Home tab. There are no other changes yet.

We’re still waiting on “announcements for the mobile app in the near future” that Google teased with the PC app.

The Google Play Games mobile app is primarily focused on the instant games experience where you can jump right into casual games. We’ll have more announcements for the mobile app in the near future. Going forward, “Google Play Games” will refer to the PC experience where you can enjoy your favorite Android games.

Looking at the above graphic, Play Books is next for an upgrade. The name “Play Games” makes sense — and as seen with the Windows app, Google is keeping it — but Play Books was always weird, especially before it gained audiobook support.