Leak Points to New Android Gaming Features

A leak discovered in the MyGlass app for Android suggests that all-new gaming features may be on their way to the Android platform. The leak was discovered when the MyGlass APK was dissected by enthusiast site Android Police.

The features include multiplayer gaming (real-time and turn-based), in-game chat, leaderboards and achievements. To draw a comparison to mobile, it sounds a lot like the Game Center feature that Apple includes on iPhones, iPads and iPod touches. That feature is a more simplified version of what you might find in Microsoft’s Xbox Live or Sony’s PlayStation Network.

So how did these features make it into the MyGlass app, which is the companion app for Google Glass devices? Android Police seems to believe that the code for the new Android gaming features was included in the APK by accident. Google Glass does run on Android, but it isn’t capable of running full-blown Android apps.

The addition of these features would bring the Android operating system up to par with Apple’s iOS in the gaming department, though to be honest, I haven’t seen these features catch on in the mobile space like they’ve done on PCs and consoles. One thing to keep an eye on will be Android game consoles like the Ouya. If consoles like these are well-received and make use of Android’s new gaming features, gamers and developers might both be more inclined to use them on mobile devices.

Imagine playing a game on your Ouya at home and then picking up later on your tablet while still retaining the ability to play multiplayer games, place on leaderboards and unlock achievements. Sounds pretty cool, right?

Google has not yet commented on reports of these leaked features, but we’ll keep you up to speed on this story and let you know if we hear more.