Google Labs on Wednesday announced Playground as an experimental gaming platform. As per the Mountain View-based tech giant, it lets users create, play, and share custom browser-based games using natural-language prompts. They can start with a blank canvas or remix prompts, then describe changes to gameplay, characters, physics, and environments through a conversational interface. Apart from this, Google is preparing a deeper integration with Unity Spark, adding further capabilities to Playground.
Building Games Using Playground
In a blog post, Google said that Playground is aimed at making game creation accessible to people without experience in coding or traditional game engines by turning it into a conversational process. This means users can describe what they want to build using text prompts and then test the result in the browser, instead of having to work with a traditional game engine.
As per the company, creators can start from a blank canvas, remix starter prompts, or use guided support while developing a game. Once a user generates a game, they can continue modifying it by asking Playground to change elements such as the physics, rules, characters, or environment.
Photo Credit: Google
Playground supports both creation and gameplay. Games created in Playground can be played on phones and laptops since they are browser-based. Google said creators can keep their games private, share them through a link, or publish them to the Playground Explore gallery. Some games can also support multiplayer gameplay and leaderboards.
The platform is, however, currently an experimental product rather than a replacement for conventional game-development software. Google is also working with Unity on Unity Spark to expand what creators can build through Playground. Once it is rolled out, creators will be able to begin with a simple text prompt in Playground and move towards more sophisticated interactive experiences
The Unity Spark integration is currently being tested, and the company plans to introduce closed beta soon. Playground itself is currently available in the US to users aged 18 and above. Google says access is rolling out in phases. Game creation is tied to Google One membership, while the platform’s game catalogue can be browsed and played for free.
