Google Play Pass starts rollout in Canada

Google Play Pass is coming to Canada and eight other countries this week. The company's take on Apple Arcade has only been available in the US before this week's announcement. Now, it's coming to Android users here and in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the UK. The subscription service gives you access to over 500 Android games and apps without needing to pay for in-app purchases or see ads. You can check out some of the new titles coming to the service in the video above.

Google is also introducing a new, cheaper annual subscription option for Play Pass in the US. It usually costs US$4.99 per month (around CA$6.75), but the annual fee will go for $29.99 ($41), which undercuts Apple Arcade's yearly fee of $49.99 ($68). According to The Verge, this new subscription option will also be coming to all the markets where Play Pass will be available. 

Google launches Play Pass app subscription service in the US

Subscription services have made their way to games and apps. Google is the newest company joining the fray with the launch of the Play Pass app subscription service. While it's the company's answer to the Apple Arcade, Google might have the upper hand since they included not just games but apps as well. The service is priced at US$4.99 a month, with a limited-time introductory offer of $1.99 per month for the first twelve months. Play Pass comes with a 10-day free trial. The service is currently available in the US only, but it's expected to launch in other countries soon.

Play Pass gives you full access to over 350 games and apps, including Monument Valley 2, Limbo, Stardew Valley, AccuWeather, and FaceTune, to name a few. The service allows you not to see things like ads and in-app purchases while using these games and apps. Google promises that new games will arrive each month. Each subscription can be shared with up to five family members with each member getting individual access. The Play Store has a new tab to show what apps are available through the service.

Google teases arrival of Play Pass subscription service

It looks like Google is ready to launch its new subscription service. The company teased on its Google Play account on Twitter that "Google Play Pass is coming soon." The tweet shows a GIF of what looks like an admission ticket. At first glance, the service was assumed to take on Apple's Arcade game subscription service. But Google is including games as well as "hundreds of premium apps" like fitness trackers and music tools with Play Pass. The service will reportedly cost around US$5. The game Stardew Valley was spotted as part of the service during the testing period.

Once Play Pass officially launches, the Play Store will have a dedicated section to show which apps are part of Play Pass. Store listings will also have a purple banner underneath the buy button to indicate if it's part of the subscription service. We don't know at this time if Google plans to offer this service beyond the US, but we should know soon.

Source: 9to5Google

Google Play Pass is a paid subscription service that gets rid of the ads

Leaked screenshots of a new subscription service Google is planning to launch just surfaced online. Called Play Pass, it would let you play games without being interrupted by ads. It promises a massive library of games and even “premium music apps and everything in between” with all in-app purchases unlocked. Google will offer a free 10-day trial and then would charge US$4.99 per month after that. We doubt Spotify will be part of the catalog, but we might expect some of the bigger games to be included. The screenshot shows games like Stardew Valley and Marvel Pinball. This also seems to be Google’s answer to Apple Arcade. According to Android Police, Google says this service is currently being tested.