Advertisements and in-app purchases are some things that are present in most (if not all) mobile games. These are often annoying, which leaves users searching for a way where they can play games without being bothered by ads or being forced to make in-app purchases. Apple Arcade is Apple’s solution to this problem, though it is just for games.
Google has walked down a similar path with its Google Play Pass, and now, it is bringing it to one of its key markets – India.
That’s right, Google Pass is finally arriving in India three years after it launched in the US. With Play Pass, you will have access to over 1000 apps and games across 41 categories from developers across 59 countries. And the best thing is that these apps and games will not come with ads or have you conduct in-app purchases.
This comes for a fee, of course. You can have Google’s Play Pass for a monthly subscription fee of ₹99 or an annual fee of ₹889. The subscription service is already available across 90 countries, including Germany, Australia, and Canada.
If you are unwilling to subscribe for the month or the year, then you can take Google’s prepaid plan for ₹109. Once you have Google Play Pass, you can share it with up to five family members by creating a Google family group. All you need to access Play Pass is having the minimum of Android version 4.4 and Google Play Store app version 16.6.25 on your device, as well as a valid payment method added to your Google account.
Google is confident that the subscription service will not only benefit users, but also Indian developers will get new methods of generating revenue and expanding their user base across the world. If you want to start your trial, open the Play Store app on your Android device, and click on the profile icon. Look for the “Play Pass” option, click on it, and follow the instructions on the screen. With the Play pass tab, you can access all apps and games available through the subscription, and you can differentiate between normal apps and apps available through the Pass by the Play Pass “ticket” icon.
“We want to deliver products and programs that the Play community – both users and developers – find value in, and we are always looking for new ways to do this. With the launch of Play Pass in India, we are excited to offer a robust collection of unlocked titles to our users and looking forward to partnering with more local developers to build amazing experiences users love,” Aditya Swamy, Director, Play Partnerships, Google India, said.
Let’s take a peek at what goodies are included in the Play Pass, which will roll out to Android users starting today. Both popular and upcoming games are included in the Pass, such as Jungle Adventures, World Cricket Battle 2, and Monument Valley, helpful apps like Utter, Unit Converter, and AudioLab, as well as Photo Studio Pro, Kingdom Rush Frontiers TD, and more. To ensure that new apps and games come to Play Pass, Google will “continue to work with global and local developers to add new games and apps every month.”
