Google Play Instant allows users to try games out before installing them. Source: Beta News

There’s nothing more annoying than going through the process of installing a game or an app on your smartphone only to find out that you don’t really like it. However, Google could just have solved this problem with a new project that allows people to try games and other apps without having to install them on their device. Last year, Google launched a new feature called Instant Apps. Instant Apps provides an opportunity for app developers to give users a native app experience without necessarily having to install the app.

In order to experience this, the user has to simply click a link provided on the Play Store’s search results and the app will load instantly. Today, Google announced that it wants to expand Instant Apps to games. You can now easily test a game without having to download it first.

If a game supports Instant Apps, there will be a “Try Now” button. Source: TechCrunch

You can do this by heading for the Google Play Store. Search the game you want and see whether the Instant Apps feature is supported. If the game is supported, there will be a “Try Now” button.

However, you will not be able to play the entire game. The main idea behind Instant Apps is to give you a few minutes of real gaming experience so that you can make an informed decision on whether you like the game or not.

According to Jonathan Karmel and Benjamin Frenkel, product managers at Google Play, the idea behind this project is inspired by the need to drive discovery on the platform. Google says that in its redesigned version of the Google Play Store, a new “arcade” tab will be added. The tab will highlight the current collection of instant games available on the platform.

The Instant Apps feature for regular apps availed only 2 MB of total file size. However, for games, Google will allow you up to 10 MB. For developers who have games that take up less than 10 MB, Play Store will give them the option to make the game a Play Instant app. However, if developers insist on making the game available only through installation, they can do that too.

The new project is currently still in beta testing. Source: 9 to 5 Google

At the moment, the new project is still in beta testing and only a few developers are signed up. Google says that it wants to open it up to more developers by the end of the year. So far, some of the games that support instant play include Bubble Witch 3, Clash Royale, Panda Pop, and Words with Friends 2.

Google has also releases a few developer tools and will give extended technical assistance to developers in order to facilitate easier development of instant games for the Play Store. Bringing the total file size of an instant game to at least 10 MB without affecting the overall user experience will be the biggest challenge for developers. But so far it seems that things are working well.