Google Play Games for PC is now available in Europe and New Zealand

You no longer have to live in one of a handful of countries to try the official option for Android games on Windows. The Google Play Games beta has expanded to over 40 European countries (including the UK) and New Zealand. The additions now make the platform available in 56 countries total, up from just 13 as of November.

Google Play Games currently offers more than 100 Android titles. You might not recognize all of them, but better-known releases like Asphalt 9, Homescapes and Last Fortress are included. Google routinely adds new games to the service, and promises access in more countries "soon."

The requirements are relatively light. You'll need a PC with at least Windows 10, a solid-state drive, 8GB of RAM and a four-core CPU running Intel's UHD 630 graphics (found in 8th- and 9th-gen Core chips) or its AMD equivalent. Google recommends a dedicated "gaming-class" GPU like NVIDIA's GeForce MX450 and a CPU with eight logical cores (such as through hyperthreading). If your computer is no more than a few years old, you can likely give this a try.

This isn't the only way to play Android games on Windows, of course. Windows 11 offers apps from Amazon's store, while clients like BlueStacks have been available for years. However, Google Play Games may be enticing if you want Google's full backing and don't mind a limited catalog.