Google Play Games update adds match invites

Google released a new update to Google Play Games that bumps the app from version 1.1 to version 1.5, adding a couple features along the way, but nothing truly groundbreaking.

When Google first launched its games service it let you join multiplayer games right from the Google Play Games app, and the latest update goes a tiny bit further. Now you can view all you game invites from within Google Play Games, making it easier to see all the games your friends want to challenge you to play.

Speaking of friends, the new version of Google Play Games lets you see who among your friends are playing certain games. The page for each game now includes a section for the people in your Google+ circles that shows you who is playing that particular game, or at least has the game. That way you can tell if you’re going to like a game or not simply based on who among your friends is playing it.

Finally, there’s a few changes to the app that are relatively minor. Setting, for example, is no longer part of the action bar, instead Google moved it to the sidebar. The sidebar now also says “Find Games” instead of “Recommended Games,” and includes a new “Matches” option that shows all your game invites.

Otherwise, the new Google Play Games is essentially the same as the version that was available yesterday. There’s nothing groundbreaking to make you use it if you haven’t before, or to make those who do use it want to use it less. It’s just a nice update for existing users that adds one nice feature and a few welcome changes.

Do you use Google Play Games? Or do you mostly play single-player games on your phone?