{"id":76794,"date":"2021-12-03T17:12:55","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T17:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockcontent.com\/?p=76794"},"modified":"2025-09-07T02:30:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T05:30:22","slug":"google-plays-best-2021-insights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pingback.com\/en\/resources\/google-plays-best-2021-insights\/","title":{"rendered":"Cross-Platform Experiences Can Help Marketing: Insights From Google Play\u2019s Best 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google announced the winners of Google Play\u2019s Best of 2025<\/a>, a celebration of apps and games that made positive contributions to culture this year. This is the first time Google expands the awards to apps and games on tablets, smartwatches, and TVs.<\/p>\n

While it may look like just a fun award to keep on track of the top apps chosen in each category, Google Play’s Best of 2025 has brought more insights about your brand strategy<\/a> than you realize.<\/p>\n

A little bit of context<\/h2>\n

In the last couple of years, the COVID-19 pandemic forced people around the world to stay home and adopt social distancing practices. For many, this scenario produced anxiety, uncertainties, loneliness, and a potential major health risk due to isolation. Playing games proved to be a good measure of relief, as we can see in the Washington Post<\/em> article about the games that got us through the pandemic<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Multiplayer games, especially, allowed us to connect with friends (and even make new ones), enjoy some fun moments together, and be part of a community, even if we were physically apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But what about making multiplayer games cross-platform? Well, it happens that it\u2019s easier to gather friends to play the same game together if the title works on different devices. Even if you don\u2019t have a Nintendo Switch or an iPhone, it\u2019s still possible to play Pok\u00e9mon UNITE with your friends if they have an Android smartphone.<\/p>\n

And applying the cross-platform strategy (even better if combined with interactive content<\/a> and gamification tools) can lead to powerful results for your brand.<\/p>\n

Cross-platform is no longer some optional thing that\u2019s nice to have\u2014it sort of feels like table stakes now. A lot of people just expect to be able to keep playing, regardless of what gadget they pick up. You might watch someone flop down on the couch with an iPad and then join the same session later from a phone; the old limitations are quickly turning into relics. There\u2019s a subtle community-building effect in that\u2014when tech gets out of the way, we naturally drift toward the shared experience instead of fumbling with device compatibility. Brands picking up on that are quietly strengthening loyalty, even if most users don\u2019t stop to think about the mechanics in play.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t hurt that the convenience factor stretches beyond just gaming, too. Think about how music or movies have cracked this years ago\u2014if you started a show on your TV and want to watch the last ten minutes in bed on your phone, you don\u2019t blink twice now. Interactive content and gamified marketing are just following the same current. If you care about hitting a scattered, device-hopping audience, your reach multiplies the minute your content works everywhere with no drama. The difference between \u201ccool but I can\u2019t use it\u201d and \u201coh, that just works here too\u201d is the point where you get lost in the crowd or picked up in a browser tab during lunch.<\/p>\n

Cross-Platform Trend and Marketing Insights from Google Play\u2019s Best of 2025<\/h2>\n

A partnership between Unity and The Harris Poll produced the Cross-Platform Gaming 2021 Report<\/a>. The report explains that:<\/p>\n

Over half (56%) of all Americans played multiplayer games in the past year and a significant majority (87%) of those gamers have played cross-platform games; 43% of cross-platform gamers express that they want more cross-platform game options.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, for the game industry, it looks like crossplay gaming is a major trend for multiplayer titles from now on. But what can marketers take from this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Leverage interactivity and gamification in your content strategy<\/h2>\n

Games are some of the most interactive and immersive experiences around.<\/h3>\n

Delivering interactive content in a gamified way can be a good approach for your brand to engage the audience. This is especially true if it\u2019s an audience composed of young adults (18-34)<\/a> and if they\u2019re used to a game logic involving tasks, rewards, completing missions and leveling up.<\/p>\n

This video by Gamify shows examples of gamification techniques to consider:<\/p>\n

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