By: Nick Gambino
The future is subscription. That has been made clear through the wide adoption and popularity of services like Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, Hello Fresh and so many more. The subscription model continues to permeate every part of our lives from the media we consume to the food we consume.
Google is no stranger to the subscription model, but now they are bringing it to the Google Play Store. We’ve been expecting Play Pass for a while now, but apparently testing is finally in full swing.
Play Pass will cost a mere $4.99 a month and will grant access to a wide range of games and premium apps. Without a Play Pass subscription, some of these apps run upwards of $10. So if you’re one of those Android users who enjoys exploring new apps on the regular, this might be worth it for you.
A user who is somehow privy to the new service reported it to Android Police with screenshots. When they reached out, Google confirmed it to the outlet, which offers the first public confirmation of Play Pass by the company.
“Explore a curated catalog spanning puzzle games to premium music apps and everything in between,” one of the screenshots reads. “From action hits to puzzles and fitness trackers, with Google Play Pass you unlock access to hundreds of premium apps and games without ads, download fees or in-app purchases.”
According to the screenshots, games like Knights of the Old Republic, Marvel Pinball, Stardew Valley, Limbo and Monument Valley are included. A family plan is also mentioned in the images provided, so you can expect to pay a bit more if everyone in your household has their own log-in but want to gain access to the service.
Play Pass seems to be a direct competitor to Apple Arcade which was announced earlier this year. Though, Google is apparently trying to one-up them by offering more than just games as part of the subscription. Studies have shown that App Store users spend a lot more money on apps than those in Google Play, so they could use the advantage to hopefully lure iOS users to their platform.
