Google Labs launches Playground, a platform for making games without code
馃毃NEW EXPERIMENT 馃毃 Playground is an experimental gaming platform that lets you create your own games with zero coding experience. If you can think it, you can play it. Go to t.co/fRUukpuoqM to learn more! Available to users 18+ in the US.
Context
Anyone 18 or older in the US can describe a game and play it, which brings AI game creation to a mainstream audience.
Google Labs is where Google tests early AI products. According to TestingCatalog, users on paid plans can generate games, while everyone can play games from the gallery.
Deep dive
Google Labs launched Playground on October 7, an experimental browser-based platform where people make games by describing them in text. Users can start from a blank canvas or starter prompts, then ask for changes to rules, physics, characters or settings and test the result right away.
Finished games can stay private, be shared by link or be published to a community gallery. Google says some genres support multiplayer and leaderboards, and every published game goes through safety screening under its Community Guidelines.
Playground is available in the US to people 18 and older. Google says creation access depends on a user's Google AI subscription, and TestingCatalog reported that paid plans can create games while anyone can play them.
What to expect next
Google says Playground will soon integrate Unity Spark, which adds professional game mechanics, high-fidelity 3D and the Unity runtime. Unity Spark is in testing, with a closed beta coming soon.
Google calls Playground an early experiment that will change with community feedback. It has not announced a date for expanding beyond US users 18 and older.