Google Play Pass includes 350 Android games and apps for $ 4.99 per month.

Today, Google is launching a new service called "Google Play Pass," which for $ 4.99 per month gives Android users access to more than 350 games and apps that will be offered ad-free and without in-app purchases. Google will give users 10 days free and also plans to offer the first year at $ 1.99 per month. It will be available in the U.S. this week and in other countries "soon."

Google's version of the app subscription model is a bit different from Apple's, which last week launched Apple Arcade its game subscription service from $ 4.99. First, Google Play Pass includes apps and games. Second, Google does not directly finance the development of your development and does not require exclusivity.

Google says that about two-thirds of the apps included in Play Pass are games, including longtime favorites like Stardew Valley, Monument Valley, Limbo y Risk .

In other words, they include a mix of independent and institutional developers. I haven't seen a complete list yet, but other notable games I noticed include. Star Wars: KOTOR, Mini Metro, Old Man's Journey y Eloh.

Also, unlike Apple, Google was willing to share at least a little about how it plans to pay developers: through user "engagement" with apps.

Developers may balk at their revenue being handled by another algorithm, but then again the state of Android apps is such that anything that brings in the cash not at all would be a big improvement for Android developers. The platform has a reputation for doing a worse job of monetizing apps than iOS, after all.