Try Before You Buy: Google Play May Soon Introduce Free Trials For Paid Android Games

Hyderabad: Android smartphone users could soon get free trials of paid video games available on the Google Play Store. Android Authority spotted a string of code within the Google Play v49.6.19-29, which suggests users may soon get a new "Try before you buy" feature for games that require a one-time upfront purchase before download.

There is no fixed duration of the trial period, meaning developers could decide the nature of the demo. Once the trial period ends, users may decide to purchase the full experience, gaining unrestricted access to the game without losing their progress from the trial.

Unlike paid applications with a seven-day trial period that allow users to test the app before committing to pay for the service, video games do not have any option to provide limited access to their games. Instead, developers upload a demo version of the game as a separate listing on the Google Play Store.

This comes with several disadvantages for both developers and players. Firstly, the ratings, reviews, and download numbers do not make their way to the actual game. Secondly, gamers usually lose their progress in the paid version of the game. Notably, this is different for free-to-play titles that do not require money to play the game and instead generate revenue via in-app purchases.

The upcoming feature could allow game developers to offer a portion of their video game as a demo on the Google Play Store, before asking for the full amount. Currently, gamers are deterred from making a purchase for premium titles as they do not know whether they would like the game. The trial may remove the fear and thus is expected to increase the sales of paid games on the store.

Notably, Google has yet to announce the "Try before you buy" feature. Ahead of the official rollout, the tech giant may be planning to onboard developers for the new system.