I’ve lost count of the occasions where I had to pause a game, open a browser tab, and look at tutorial videos to get past a difficult stage. And it seems there are many others, like me, dealing with the same conundrum. Soon, Google’s Gemini AI will offer real-time guidance to lend a helping hand mid-way through games.
What’s the big upgrade?
Google is adding a new feature called Sidekick that is essentially a gaming-friendly version of Gemini. When you launch a game, the AI will also jump into action. And as you make progress, you can ask it about winning strategies, how to get out of a tricky situation, and more such real-time advice.
“Sidekick uses Gemini Live’s screen sharing capabilities to understand your game context and deliver AI-powered, in-game guidance with verbal tips, tricks and support during gameplay,” says Google.
The overarching idea is to provide all the help in real-time and save users the hassle of watching walkthroughs and juggling between apps. Sidekick will be rolling out to users in the coming months for a select few games.
More changes for Google Play
In addition to playtime assistance using Gemini, Google is also launching an in-game overlay called Play Games Sidekick. Accessible by swiping inward from the right edge, it offers quick access to the AI coach as well as game-related alerts.
Google is also updating the platform-level gamer profile that makes it easier for players to keep an eye on their stats, monitor all the achievements across different games, and create new avatars in a jiffy using AI.
The gaming ecosystem is getting a new Play Games Leagues system, where you can challenge others and win Google Play points. The first edition of Google Play League will be all about Subway Surfers and you can join it between October 10 and 23.
