Editor at TechForge Media. Often sighted at global tech conferences with a coffee in one hand and laptop in the other. If it's geeky, I'm probably into it.











You may not have heard, but Google had a fairly-quiet launch of several big new products this week including the Nexus 9 and the Nexus Player. Despite not making as much fanfare as Apple’s event, these are important and brand-new devices which show just how serious Google is about the mobile gaming market.

The Nexus 9 packs Nvidia’s powerful Tegra K1 and is capable of delivering graphics similar to the Xbox 360 and PS3. If you want to know just how powerful this thing is, its benchmarks are comparable to a 2012 Mac Pro. Google’s official tablet also has a keyboard accessory similar to Microsoft’s Surface “Type Cover” which helps to improve portable gaming through a full-range of physical buttons.

Nexus 9 Geekbench Result: http://t.co/WdMg4dpLOK 1903 points single-core score is insane. An entry-level Mac Pro (2012) scores 1925. — John Poole (@jfpoole) October 16, 2014

Next there is the Nexus Player, which is the first box to ship with Google’s new TV platform. Aside from delivering what appears to be a solid telly-watching experience this time, the Nexus Player also has an Xbox-reminiscent controller and supports all Android games in the Play Store.

Android L is perhaps the biggest sign Google wants to boost its platform’s gaming prowess. The latest OS, which ships with the new Nexus devices, features support for OpenGL ES 3.1 (PDF) and enables new capabilities such as compute shaders, separate shader objects, indirect draw commands, enhanced texturing, shading language improvements, and support for extensions including per-sample shading, advanced blending modes, and more.

The Nexus 9 packs Nvidia’s powerful Tegra K1, and is capable of delivering graphics similar to the Xbox 360 and PS3.

It can take a while for non-Android flagships to get the latest OS update, and therefore Google adds functionality where it can through ‘Play Services’ which is auto-updated through the Play Store for all capable devices. Users with the latest Play Games are starting to see new local multiplayer functionality – similar to Nintendo’s StreetPass system on DS – which allows gamers to play and engage with others nearby.

Google wants Android to be everywhere, and these additions mean that gamers can pick-up and play incredible new OpenGL ES 3.1 games on-the-move, play others nearby with Play Games’ new local multiplayer, and continue their progress when they get home on the big screen via the Nexus Player. Achievements will also track across devices for those with a competitive spirit.

Do you think Google is taking the right steps with Android gaming? Let us know in the comments.