Google Play Games for PC picks up new Japanese games as beta extends to the nation

Conventionally, gaming has been split into three distinct hardware categories: console games, PC games, and mobile games. With features like Android app support on Windows 11, these boundaries are slowly blurring. Wanting in on the action, Google launchedPlay Games Beta for PC, so you can play popular Android titles on your Windows computer. This beta is now expanding to Japan, with a wonderful selection of popular region-specific titles.

If you haven’t heard,Google Play Games Beta for PCis a computer application for Windows 10 and 11. It offers cross-platform game data sync with your Android device, so you can play popular titles like Genshin Impact on your PC without using unreliable third-party Android emulators. This software isnow available in Japan, adding the nation to a small but growing list of supported countries. Other regions that currently offer support are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.

To appeal to the target audience and hit the ground running, Google is tailoring the experience with popular Japanese games likeeFootball Champion Squadsfrom Konami andFFBE War of the Visionsfrom developer Square Enix. These titles from big ticket developers have been added to the catalog for the Japan launch, but can be downloaded worldwide wherever the beta is available.

Google created Play Games Beta versions of Android titles for PC with the developers of the original games, so the mapped controls and graphics are close to what the developers intended them to be. Moreover, Google has lowered the minimum hardware requirements andenabled a bypass too, maximizing device compatibility. In all, Android games are now playable on smartphones, tablets, Windows PCs, and Chromebooks.

Looking at the bigger picture, Google expanding the beta to Japan is a good sign, showing the company’s ongoing interest in the avenue. Hopefully, the catalog of games continues swelling at a reasonable pace, and Google doesn’tsunset the venture like Stadia.