Last month I posted about a change that is coming to Google Play Games around Gamer IDs and the deprecation of the Google+ linking requirement. That change is starting to roll out now via some back end changes in the service along with an updated app for Android. To this point, if you played a game on your Android device and signed into the service, it required you to have a Google+ ID to do so. It created a multi-step process for users and is a bit of a hold over from when Google tried to push everyone and everything through Google+. At some point this year, Google is going to eliminate this requirement and gamers will be able to sign in one time per account and any new games they start playing, they will be automatically signed into the service.
For new players, they will receive a new Player ID which is not like what Google has used in the past. For those of us who have already been using the service with our Google+ ID, there is no new ID. You will continue to use your Google+ ID but the ability to sign in without consent with each game will be supported (assuming that the developer has enabled this in their app with the new
Google Play Games
API).
As one really only plays games on my phone or tablet, this change is most welcome by me personally. The ability to not have to log into my profile with every new game I try out will be a huge time saver.
The updated version of the Google Play Games app is out now in the Google Play Store but it may take a day or two before you see it hit your devices. Likewise, the back end update to allow the new Gamer IDs is rolling out too so even if you have the app, it may be a few days before you see the ability come to you. You have to have both to, erm, play.
