New on Google Play: More ways to create, discover, and play

From more ways to find games you’ll love playing to new ways to launch apps, here’s a look at what’s coming to Google Play.

Google Play connects you with the apps and games you love. Today, it's becoming the place you go to connect with the ones that you create, making it possible for anyone with an idea to build a personal app and run it on Google Play. We're also introducing new ways to discover and play that put you in control.

Here’s what’s new on Google Play.

New ways to create and launch your own app

From "there's an app for that" to "there's an app for me."

Using Google AI Studio, you can vibe code a custom Android app. Since many of these apps start out as personal projects, through Google Play you can now launch these personal apps on your own device. This means your creations stay private, secure, and separate from the public store catalog. You only need your standard Google account to do so — no developer account required. This starts rolling out today to select markets, including the U.S., for users 18 and over.

In the coming months, you'll be able to share your personal apps with a close circle of friends and family. And if you eventually want to share your app with the world, Google Play helps you graduate to a professional developer account. At that time, your app will go through the same Trust & Safety reviews and quality standards as every professional developer.

Build custom apps with AI and run or share them privately through Google Play. Screen images simulated. Sequences shortened.

Smarter, more personal ways to discover content

Content discovery across every screen

Discovery shouldn't stop at your phone screen. In cars with Google built-in, the updated Play Store adapts to your vehicle’s screen. On XR, the Play Store is an immersive 3D space where your apps surround you as you browse. And on Googlebook, apps optimized for large screens are shown front and center.

To discover content for all your passions, Sports Topic Pages now cover soccer leagues like Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Liga MX, and Major League Soccer.

Follow live scores and jump straight into streaming apps with Sports Topic Pages. Watch MLS on Apple TV with a subscription, available on Google Play.

AI-powered discovery with Ask Play and Play in Gemini

Ask Play lets you ask a question and instantly get tailored recommendations. Starting today, Ask Play can generate a comparison between apps, highlighting key differences and user sentiment.

Meanwhile, Play in Gemini brings Google Play's apps, games, and developer content right into your Gemini conversations. This will start rolling out to all Gemini users soon.

Compare apps side-by-side and get tailored answers with Ask Play.

Game discovery that finally gets you

Gamers evaluate games based on mechanics, art style, and more — not just popularity.

Play’s new Game Finder combines Google Play's gaming knowledge with our community of over 2 billion players, so you can easily find games that match your taste. At the heart of it is Gamer DNA: an analysis of how you play and preferences you've shared. Specify games, genres, mechanics, and more to finetune your Gamer DNA and see more of what you want.

Plus, see how players with similar Gamer DNA are engaging with a title, find out how many people you follow are playing it, read user review summaries, and learn which games are trending and why. Game Finder rolls out in English to U.S. users today, with additional markets coming soon.

We’re also introducing Game Playlists, allowing you to curate collections of games. Soon, you'll be able to share playlists and explore other gamers’ lists.

Discover your next favorite game with game finder, tailored to your Gamer DNA and backed by the community.

Social competition, new games, and great rewards

Finding a great game is only half the fun — staying connected and in the action is what brings players back. Here are three news ways we’re doing that in Play:

• Sprints, rolling out to all markets today, are high-energy, 48-hour micro-challenges. Match with groups of two to five players for fast-paced contests.
• Sidekick, our in-game overlay rolling out to select devices, now lets you record 30-second Playbacks.
• Community Posts let you ask and answer questions about a game directly in its detail page. This is available today across all games and all languages with automatic translations. Over the coming weeks, we’ll roll out support for developer posts and official announcements.

Track Sprints, claim rewards, and capture 30-second Playbacks without leaving your game using Sidekick.

More great games across mobile and PC

We’re bringing some of the most loved PC titles, like Dave the Diver and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, to Play. There’s even more releases over the next few months — including REPLACED, Chosen by Odin, and Over the Hill — all of which you can play across Android mobile and PC with cloud save. We're also expanding Game Trials from mobile to PC games, letting you try full premium games for a limited time before you buy.

More value and real-world fandom with Google Play Points

Google Play Points adds value to everything you do across mobile and PC. Today, we’re kicking off Play Fest. Unlock Play Points multipliers, claim in-game items and developer offers, and enter sweepstakes for real-world prizes during this week-long celebration.

Trust and innovation for families

Google Play is built on industry-leading security and privacy protections. As technology evolves, we’re introducing new ways to keep families safe while empowering anyone to run custom AI apps on their devices.

Accessing age-appropriate experiences

Parents can share their child’s age range (or their own) directly with apps using Play’s Family Link app. With this new feature, users can provide apps with the minimum information required to get a safe, age-appropriate experience.

Head to Google Play today to explore these updates. And if you’re a developer, learn how these announcements can help grow your business.

https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/google-play/google-play-updates-october-2026