'Download as you play' announced at Google for Games Development Summit 2021

Google has announced a new feature for the upcoming Android 12 which will enable users to play games while downloading them. Users would not have to wait unless a game download and is installed, which might be a long process. With the arrival of the feature, Google expects games to be ready to open at least 2 times faster than the usual speed. The feature was announced at the Google for Games Developer Summit 2021 and will work with games that use Play Asset Delivery System. 

Play as your download - a new Android 12 feature reduces user's waiting time 

New features allow users to play while they download the game 

Addressing game developers over delivery of video games on Google Play, Vitor Baccetti, the Senior Product Manager at Google Play says that "Users have limited attention spans and want to play right away." Since there is a plethora of games available on Google Play Store, a user might skip installation if the game takes too much time in downloading. Baccetti also added that 'long waits' are the primary reason for lower engagement with an application, resulting in cancellation of download request by the user. At the same time, creating a high quality experience for users incorporates multiple digital assets which increases the file size of a game. Hence, Google has came up with a new feature called 'Play as you download', which is a new feature for Android 12 operating system. 

New IncFS file system allows Google Play to recognise the essential components to run the game 

Play as you download allows users to start playing the full version of a game in seconds instead of minutes. The feature enables Android devices to run a game as soon as its essential components have been downloaded. It provides the users with up to 2x faster access to the actual game, while the remaining assets will download in the background, without blocking users to play the game. The new feature is possible due to a new file system called IncFS, which allows Google Play to recognise which part of a game file is essential for it to run and which parts can be downloaded in the background. As the number of players and the total time spent on gaming is constantly rising, it creates an opportunity for the game developers to provide an immersive and seamless experience and eventually expand their business. Hence, Google for Games Developer Summit is aimed at providing better technology to developers to create high-quality engaging experiences for players. 

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