Here’s how Google is making it easier for developers to port PC games to Android

Mobile gaming has come a long way since the early days of Android, but even the best Android games don’t stack up to what’s available on consoles and PCs. This is why retro console emulation is so popular among Android gamers, as emulation unlocks access to game catalogs that are far superior to what’s natively available on Android. Google wants to make Android and its Google Play platform to be gamers’ one-stop shop for everything gaming-related, though, so it’s announcing new features, tools, and programs in an effort to simplify porting PC games to Android.

Ahead of the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) next week, Google announced changes coming to the Android platform and Google Play as well as partnerships with device vendors and game engine makers to reduce the friction of porting PC games to Android. These changes include first-class support for the Vulkan graphics API on Android, enhanced stability for the Android Dynamic Performance Framework, new tools in the Google Play Console to fix game crashes, and the launch of a pilot program to aid developers in their journey of bringing their games to Android.