Google has announced today that Google Play Games will be getting support for multiplayer gaming cross-platform with iOS devices. This means that developers on Android that also make iOS games and have multiplayer gameplay can now mesh the two platforms and their player bases together.
These changes comes with a new update to the SDK for game developers to use. Interestingly enough, this cross-platform support is also available for web-based games as well (think Games for Chrome). The support for multiplayer gameplay spans across both turn-based and real-time multiplayer and Unity3D has also updated their plug-in for easier use with these new changes.
On the flip side of things, depending on how you look at this next part of the update, Google has added Virtual Gifts as well, sort of like Facebook has. Once added to a game, users will be able to send other players in their network of friends in-game gifts. If you like this sort of thing, then you should be happy. If you don’t and find it annoying, then this news isn’t the greatest. Friends in your network will also be able to find you through a new search option and will be able to invite you directly into multiplayer games.
These changes are now available for developers to start using through the new Google Play Games cross-platform SDK.
Website Referenced: Android Developer’s Blog
