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Game demos come to Google Play Store: Simply hit the 'try now' button
- The Google Play Store now has a “try now” button for games, right next to the “buy” or “install” button.
- The feature uses technology from mobile studio AppOnBoard, and has already been implemented in a few titles.
- AppOnBoard is offering a 30-day free trial to developers wanting the feature in their games.
Instant Apps have been available on the Google Play Store for a while now, allowing users to access apps without downloading them. Now, Google has taken things further with a “try now” button (located next to the “install” or “buy” buttons) for games in the Play Store.
According to Venturebeat (h/t: XDA-Developers), hitting the button launches a demo that requires no installation. This demo can be up to 10MB in size, and seamlessly prompts users to download or purchase the full product once it’s over.
The technology, which is actually the brain-child of mobile company AppOnBoard, has already been implemented in games like Cookie Jam Blast. It also works with unreleased titles, such as Looney Tunes World of Mayhem (seen in the above video), so you can play a snippet of a game before its actual release.
More paid Play Store games?
The move comes after Google announced Google Play Instant at the Game Developers Conference in March 2018, targeting seamless game demos too. Nevertheless, the current Play Store functionality uses AppOnBoard’s demo engine instead, while also providing user-behavior analytics to developers.
We’ve seen game trials in app stores before, but these solutions generally required users to download the app anyway. So a quick, one-tap solution like this seems like a better way to get more eyes on your title.
Hopefully this also results in a few more games taking a paid approach instead of the freemium route. After all, one of the few ways to try out a paid app on the Play Store is to actually buy it, then use Google’s 15-minute window to request a refund if you’re not happy.
AppOnBoard is offering developers a 30-day free trial for the technology, followed by an unspecified flat monthly subscription. Are you a developer looking to take advantage of the feature? Then hit the button below.