Google+ gets games, but game-haters don’t have to see them

Thought you could get away with using Google+ game-free? You thought wrong. …

Games are coming to Google+, bringing the new social network more in line than ever with Facebook. Google announced today the addition of games via e-mail to journalists and through a post on its blog, noting that it has already signed deals with a "select group of partners" to bring games like Angry Birds, Zombie Lane, Sudoku, Bejeweled Blitz, and more to the platform.

But if you're the type who hates seeing Farmville updates in your friends' Facebook feeds or you cannot stand to get another invitation to Mafia Wars, you're in luck: Google says the games will be kept to a special area and "won't clutter the streams of those who aren't as enthusiastic."

The games will be accessible via a "games" option at the top of your Google+ stream. When you go there, "[y]ou can see the latest game updates from your circles, browse the invites you've received and check out games that people you know have played recently," as well as see your own accomplishments. If you want to share your high scores on your Google+ stream, only friends who have expressed interest in playing games as well will see the updates.

Games, however, are only the tip of the iceberg. Google also announced that it has launched yet another company blog (to join the 5,104,857 that already exist, of course) for developers who want to create Web apps for Google+. And those apps may not have to be games. "In today's launch of games on Google+, you can now see the first of many types of integrations that we hope to help you build," Engineering Director David Glazer wrote to developers.

Glazer went on to explain that Google plans to continue adding partners and features "in small steps," starting with the games API—an indicator that other, non-game options will be available soon. Glazer didn't give a specific time frame for when the doors would be opened to more than just the launch partners, and he said that Google is listening to feedback on the games API before it moves forward.

Facebook, Google+'s closest competitor, has made games and other Web apps available to users for some time now—it's one of the highlights for some of Facebook's user base, and one reason why plenty of users are choosing to stick with Facebook instead of checking out Google+. But after the launch of Google+ just over a month ago, many early adopters applauded the new social network's complete lack of games, preferring not to have their streams cluttered with updates from virtual worlds that they couldn't care less about.

Google's implementation of games—and likely future apps as well—tries to appease both crowds. Gamers can go to their corner and play to their heart's content, sharing updates and achievements among themselves, while the rest of Google+'s user base doesn't have to see them. As a non-gamer myself (who admittedly does find it annoying to see constant game updates in my Facebook feed), I find it hard to be offended in any way by Google's choice of implementation.

What about you? Although we suspect many Ars readers aren't the Facebook gaming type, does Google's announcement sway you to try out Google+ if you haven't already? What about the possibility of other apps, like those that plug into your Last.fm feed and report what you've been listening to? Are you a developer who plans to jump on board ASAP, or are you going to wait it out? Let us know in the comments.

That's fine. I don't really care if people play games on Facebook or G+ or whatever. The point was always that their whole business model seemed to revolve around auto-posting all kinds of spam that filled up my feed when friends used them. Browser games are great. Just leave out the spam.

Perfect implementation for me. I play stuff like Bejeweled Blitz sometimes, but I neither like spamming others with my scores nor getting spammers with Farmville stuff. At the same time, I like seeing (e.g. on Steam) what my friends are playing to give me ideas about what to check out or which games we have in common (so we can chat about them or join up). The way Google has implemented games means the best of both worlds for me.

It seems like the way it should be, and fits in perfectly with the way G+ has been shaping up. Circles help you post only to the people you want, and a separate Games stream lets you only see game stuff if and when you want to without eliminating games completely. I look forward to what comes next.

I'm already on Google +, and I'm not a Facebook Gamer, so this implementation makes me happy. I'm also on the verge of getting rid of Facebook because I'm not a fan of all the changes they insist on making.

That's neat, but I'd rather have Calendar and Reader integration than games and random crap.

Browser games are fine but I'd rather go to Kongregate or Newgrounds for them, and I'm already on Steam. Frankly, if they left Google+ exactly the way it was when it launched BUT added only Calendar integration in order to have an equivalent to Facebook´s Events, it'd be perfect.

I think the only obvious loser here is the non-established game/app makers. Virality is really what drove that innovation on Facebook and, without it, Google+ will pick up established developers and launch partners, but I doubt it will become fertile grounds for startup game developers.

Awesome. Yet another reason Google+ > Facebook. I have friends who like to do these sorts of games, and hey, glad they've got 'em to play. I just hate that Facebook forces ME to play "Whack a Mole" to keep them off my feed. Bravo, Google. Bravo.

That's neat, but I'd rather have Calendar and Reader integration than games and random crap.

Browser games are fine but I'd rather go to Kongregate or Newgrounds for them, and I'm already on Steam. Frankly, if they left Google+ exactly the way it was when it launched BUT added only Calendar integration in order to have an equivalent to Facebook´s Events, it'd be perfect.

I'm OK with games as implemented, but Google Reader integration needs to happen right now. I know it's coming, but it's seriously annoying not to have a post or even a +1 button in Google reader. I enjoy sharing articles from my reader and it sucks to have to manually repost them to my G+ account.

My issue with Facebook games is that you have to constantly feed them money to make them enjoyable.

Yeah, if you play the social-based games where you need to get help from/bonuses from friends then you definitely want to see them. And I can definitely see where the updates would annoy people, hell, Farmville's like spam-heaven and designed that way. I don't feel bad about playing it since gaming is the _only_ reason I have a FB account and it's not even in my real name. Not like I have normal friends to annoy.

It's perfectly possible to play FB games without paying and have fun. I do it all the time, haven't spent a dime yet, and that includes playing Farmville regularly. You just have to accept there are things you won't be able to access in the game without paying and be willing to do without. I can live without the pay-only animals/trees/etc. myself, but some people can't.

Reader integration would really be a big +. But honestly, the only thing g+ really needs is a host of mature users to build a good community. And it would be great if many people actually used Google accounts, just to be able to use the features connected to the other Google services more easily.

I think the only obvious loser here is the non-established game/app makers. Virality is really what drove that innovation on Facebook and, without it, Google+ will pick up established developers and launch partners, but I doubt it will become fertile grounds for startup game developers.

They might not necessarily be losers, either. If you treat the "games area" as just a large Circle that includes everyone who's interested in games, you can still go viral but only advertise to those who would actually care to see your product (as opposed to people who will block your ad on Facebook regardless what your game is because they don't want to see any game feeds).

I just hope G+'s games don't ask you which of your friends you want to spam every time you play.

Not a Facebook user and not much of a gamer. But if I want to sign up with a social networking site, I'd considered Google+. It offer video conferences with multiple people and be able to deleted files completely off its site if one wish. These two features Facebook don't currently offer. Unless Facebook comes up with the same idea they're walking on thin ice.

Reader integration would really be a big +. But honestly, the only thing g+ really needs is a host of mature users to build a good community. And it would be great if many people actually used Google accounts, just to be able to use the features connected to the other Google services more easily.

Reader integration would really be a big +. But honestly, the only thing g+ really needs is a host of mature users to build a good community. And it would be great if many people actually used Google accounts, just to be able to use the features connected to the other Google services more easily.

I hope people continue to use other services and don't switch to Google just because they have better integration with G+; although one would think that, given Google's openness, it would be easy for outside services to link in with Google so you could link, say, your Yahoo calendar with your G+ account.

Anything to bring more people over to Google+. I'm done with Facebook.

You are laugably delusional if you think that this is going to turn things around for the failing Google+ (which is in its third consecutive week of FALLING traffic.) No one is goingto leave Facebook to play games on Google+ when they can just play it on Facebook...and also have morethan 1 friend that is also on the service.

Newsflash...over 95% of invites that are sent out are ignored. I know you think that everyone is just desperately waiting for their invite, but that is not the fact of the matter. Most people don't care. And of that 5% that do click on the invite link, most are not going back after the first day. That is why Google desperately opened up that 150 invite system.