Google Opens Games Category for Android Auto and Android Automotive OS
Google has officially ended beta testing of the games category for Android Auto and Android Automotive OS and opened it up to the public. Developers can now publish compatible games to Google Play through the open test and stable channels.
You can only play when your car is parked – for example, while charging or waiting in a parking lot. When the car starts moving, the game sound is automatically muted and cannot be turned back on during the journey.
Games are launched directly on the car screen, so you don’t need to take out your smartphone. They can be controlled via the touch display, and some projects support connected gamepads.
To play games on Android Auto, you need a device running Android 15 or later. Additionally, each game must be adapted to the car format and pass Google’s review before appearing in the store.
Google also requires that the game retain previous progress after relaunching, meaning the user must continue playing from the same place.
Google encourages developers to adapt games for different car displays, as their sizes and aspect ratios may vary depending on the car model.
Thus, Google is gradually expanding the capabilities of Android Auto not only for navigation and multimedia, but also for entertainment while parked.
