Google Play could finally be the app store we've always wanted

Google has announced a number of updates to Google Play. They are designed to cut out the amount of aimless searching in favour of enjoying content, and there is definitely a focus on gaming.

The first of the multiple updates comes in the form of Google Play Games, which is getting a major overhaul to create a more unified gaming experience. A new platform-level gamer profile is being added to allow you to track stats and achievements across games and devices, and the profile can be customised with a Gen AI Avatar.

Play Points, meanwhile, is an integrated rewards system that now extends across Android phone and PC gaming, offering rewards for gameplay and connecting you with real-world experiences and merchandise.

There's also a new Play Games Leagues feature that will allow players to compete for Play Points rewards. The first game to win rewards will be Subway Surfers and the competition will kick off on 10 October and run for two weeks, until 23 October.

What other features is Google bringing to its Play Store?

There's more though, according to a post published on its Google's The Keyword blog

To keep you immersed, the firm is introducing Play Games Sidekick, which is an in-game overlay that provides real-time guidance. It's powered by Google's Gemini Live and it uses screen sharing to understand game context and offer verbal tips and tricks, so you don’t have to leave the game for tutorials.

For those that like to use Google Play Games on PC, Google announced this is now out of beta and its catalogue is expanding to offering over 200,000 titles that you can play across mobile and desktop.

Last but certainly not least, the Google Play Store is getting a new You tab, which is designed to be a personalised home base for curated content, including rewards, subscriptions, and recommendations.

The gamer profile content will appear here if you game, but it will also pull in relevant content across other interests and apps. You'll get things like audiobook recommendations, and you'll be able to continue content you've already started, like a podcast.

And finally, the Apps tab is being updated too, with new entertainment and seasonal sections, while a new Guided Search feature is implementing AI to help you find apps based on your aims, like "find a home" or "deck-building games".

The Google Play Store updates are available now so make sure you're running the latest version to experience them.