Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
Google Play Store is working on a “Try before you buy” feature that allows users to play premium games for a set duration at no cost.
Users can purchase the full game experience once their trial ends, and their progress will be carried over.
The feature is likely to be an opt-in tool for game developers, helping them attract users who are hesitant about upfront costs.
The Google Play Store houses tens of thousands of high-quality games that you can play on your Android flagship. Most games these days are monetized through (often greedy) in-app purchases for cosmetics and gameplay enhancements, but there are rare gems that still offer their entire gaming experience as an upfront, one-time purchase. However, this is both a pro and a con, as users cannot even try out the game before spending money on it. Google may be looking to address this issue, as the Play Store could soon offer a new “Try before you buy” feature for premium games.
Currently, the Google Play Store allows developers to offer free trials for subscriptions. However, this is not a solution for games (and apps) that bank on an upfront, one-time purchase. Developers for such games often resort to creating a “demo” version of their game as a separate listing, allowing users to try out the game in a limited capacity before committing to the full experience with their wallet.
However, there is a significant drawback to this “demo” approach. For one, this is a separate listing from the main game, so important data, such as the number of downloads, ratings, and user comments, is not carried over to the main app listing. Since it is a separate app too, game progress is also not carried over, so players have to start from scratch if they decide to buy the game. Furthermore, the developer often has to develop and maintain this demo app separately, which is too much work compared to simply adopting the subscription model.
To get around the drawbacks of a “demo” app, some developers encourage users to take advantage of the Play Store’s lesser-known two-hour refund policy. This way, users have some breathing room to experience the game while still having a safety net in place. However, most users are unaware that they can request a refund for a paid app or game, and as a result, they are deterred from trying out these paid apps and games.
The upfront cost also serves as a mental deterrent in itself, as users have to part with their money before they are convinced of the app or game’s potential. The sticker shock is undoubtedly a big friction point for attracting users.
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Within Google Play Store v49.6.19-29, we’ve spotted code that suggests Google may allow developers to opt into offering their games for a set trial period through a new “Try before you buy” feature.
Some of the strings are reproduced below:
Code
Copy TextTry before you buy
Time starts when you open the game
Get the full game for %1$d minutes at no charge
Get the full game for 1 hour at no charge
Get the full game for {trialDuration} hours at no charge
As the strings suggest, users will soon be able to experience paid games in full through a free trial. The trial duration is not fixed and may be set by the game developer. The trial duration starts when you open the game, and you should have full access to the entire gameplay experience (keeping in mind the intended game progression) for this trial period.
Code
Copy TextBuy with one-time payment
Pick up where you left off if you decide to buy
You already used the trial
Once the trial period ends, users can purchase the full game experience. They won’t lose their progress within the game either. Trials will also likely be limited to one trial per game listing per user, as is standard.
“Try before you buy” is likely to be an opt-in feature for game developers listing on the Play Store. The strings specifically mention games, so the feature might not be available to non-game apps, even though some paid apps could also benefit from it.
Either way, we’re glad that such an option is in the works as it benefits both users and developers. Some quality titles are sold without IAPs, through one-time purchases, and users will soon have the opportunity to try the gameplay firsthand on their phones before making a full purchase.
“Try before you buy” has not yet been announced by Google, nor has it rolled out on the Play Store. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.
⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
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