Google is announcing several big Android gaming updates at this year’s Game Developers Conference. A majority of them will be user facing, like app streaming and more social features in Play Games, while others will help developers market and add new features to their games.
Last month, Google announced that new Play Games users would get a player ID instead of having to make a Google+ account. Player IDs are now being rebranded as Gamer ID and will act as an in-game identity. As they are unique, Google recommends heading to the Play Games app now to claim yours.
Over the weekend, Google announced changes to Play Games permissions that are mostly meant for developers, but regular users who game on Android will also see a benefit. Players no longer need their Google accounts upgraded to Google+ to use Play Games and can now automatically be signed-in with a standard Google account.
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Amazon’s new Fire TV set-top box may seem like every other solution on the market, but there’s one big difference. Fire TV has built-in gaming features that will allow you to play compatible Android games that are available within Amazon’s app store. The bad news is, if you’ve previously purchased any of the compatible titles from the Google Play Store, you’ll need to repurchase them from Amazon. Check out the video overview above for an overview and demo of Fire TV gaming.
NVIDIA is making another push to get Shield into as many gamers’ hands as possible by shaving another $50 off its price tag and announcing future Android KitKat support. Shield was originally slated to carry a list price of $349, but was dropped to $299 before its release late last summer. It then fell to $249 for the holidays, and now it’s received another $50 drop bringing it to its lowest price ever, just $199 with free shipping. The price is now live at NVIDIA’s official online store and other resellers like GameStop and Newegg, but some partners are still listing it at holiday pricing. This temporary price reduction is only valid through April.
On April 2nd, Shield will receive a major software update which will bring an improved GameStream experience, Android KitKat support and more. NVIDIA believes the GameStream updates will have a profound impact on mobile gaming:
Now with official support for over 100 PC games, including spring’s biggest hits such as Titanfall, GameStream provides an even more incredible way to enjoy your favorite games away from the PC.
KitKat should improve users’ overall experience with the Shield by increasing compatibility with newer apps and games but don’t expect it to be an earth-shattering system overhaul.
Sound off in the comments if the price drop and promised new features are enough for you bite on a Shield.
As Samsung works to capture more of the Android gaming market with the release of a new controller, a new analytics study shows Android gaming is on the rise. Apple may be considered the dominant leader in the mobile gaming category and it remains steadily in the driver’s seat, but 2013 indicated the Play Store is moving up fast.
The Frankenstein-like NVIDIA Shield, the handheld games console whose size and weight (1.5 pounds!) makes it seem like something invented in the 1990s, has been given the tear-down treatment by ifixit.
One thing is for sure—with its shields disabled, this device looks nothing like any tablet we’ve ever taken apart … or game console … or anything
Teardown photos and review roundup below the fold …
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