WE WANT TO MAKE SURE GREAT GAMES RISE TO THE SURFACE.

announced Monday is a tweaked algorithm the company said will allow quality titles to rise above the oftencluttered catalogue while also encouraging developers to take more risks. Instead of only showcasing titles with a high volume of downloads, the algorithms will now also use engagement metrics and star ratings.

This tweak means an independent title that may not have a high number of initial downloads can get more attention in the store because the few who did install it play for long periods of times and often, signalling high quality to the algorithm.

“We want to make sure great games rise to the surface, wherever they are changed but didn’t indicate a promotion unless the developer took the extra time to create a new in-store image to highlight a discount.

“Strikethrough pricing is part of the consumer lexicon,” said Moledina. “We’ve been piloting this and in the early testing we saw that games saw conversion ranging from 3x all the way up to 20x.”

Since the release of Android’s Nougat iteration, Google has been adding more functionality into the operating system that allows developers to make more of what it calls “high fidelity games.” The Vulkan API allows for developers to create high-performance 3D graphics while something called Firebase gives developers support tools like push notifications, analytics, cloud storage and ads.

Google also announced Monday that it has streamlined Firebase integration for developers who use the popular C++ programming language and Unity. “Those have been big asks along the way,” Moledina said.

Though Google said it wants to help independent titles succeed, the company was also sure to emphasize successful games from major studios during its keynote. Titles such as Pokemon Go, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, and Clash Royale have all resonated with Android users and are an example of “high quality games,” the company said.

During Monday’s keynote, Google announced new premium games that will be coming to the Google Play store soon from major studios. Transformers: Forged to Fight will be coming on April 5, while Epic Games’ Battlebreaker (which uses the Unreal 4 engine) and Injustice 2 are also around the corner — all three of which are now available for preregistration.

There were also two new VR titles for Android during the keynote. Virtual Rabbids is a game from Montrealbased developer Ubisoft that lets players interact with the rabbit-looking characters in fun ways, while Spry Fox’s Beartopia lets users play with each other to build an in-game space.

“In (Beartopia), you play a bear that is trying to immigrate to a new community and provide value and survive while becoming a productive part of it,” said Moledina.

“Especially in today’s political climate, I’m very proud that we can present ... experiences that put people in the shoes of a bear. It’s inoffensive and non-specific, but it’s like how science fiction also has the ability to tell allegories about our culture without being too pointed about it.”