If you haven’t heard, Google announced a device called the Nexus Player today; a familiar, black set-top box designed to satisfy your TV, movie, and gaming needs. Of course, the device isn’t familiar because Google has released one before, but it’s no secret that Apple, Roku, and now Amazon have been pushing similarly-branded products for years. Entering a crowded market is tough, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Google.
One area where the Nexus Player promises to one-up the competition is gaming, and if early chatter is to be believed, Google’s latest device may just swipe the casual console-gaming crown from the likes of Ouya and Fire TV. The latter device made similar promises that it has yet to really deliver on, and unless you consider Flappy Birds Family to be worth your time and money in the long haul, the Fire TV leaves a lot to be desired.
Related: Amazon Fire TV: What You Need to Know in Bullet Points
The Nexus Player, with its similar dedicated gamepad but not-so-similar enormous game selection and developer support, has a unique opportunity on its hands. Check out the gallery below for some ideas on how Google should conduct its Android-powered gaming business going forward, and if you’re interested in all things Nexus, today is a great day — there are new phones and tablets too.
Nexus Player
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Up the gaming ante
The Nexus Player doesn’t have to compete with PS4 and Xbox One, nor will it. Still, it ought to set the bar substantially higher than devices like Amazon’s Fire TV and even the Ouya if it hopes to gain traction with gamers.
This can be done in a number of ways, and the dedicated Xbox-like controller is a great start. Still, every console needs exclusives to gain attention. The vast Android app selection will cover most gaming needs, but Google should consider bringing at least one or two worthwhile, lengthy, and exclusive titles to the platform (via deals with outside developers, most likely). Given the affordable nature of the product (it retails for just $99), it wouldn’t take much to force the hand of players who’d rather not miss superb gaming experiences.
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Help developers port their games
With that said, the Nexus Player’s audience is no-doubt more mainstream than core, and a great way to balance both audiences is to encourage current Android developers to get their games on Android TV and the Nexus Player as soon as possible. Google has already begun taking strides toward doing this, but the effort needs to be continuous -- when the next Flappy Bird explodes the internet, it has to have Nexus Player compatibility built it from the start. If done properly, the Nexus Player could actually encourage mobile-only players to try a traditional setup for a change, which can only be good for gaming as a whole.
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Encourage Android TV exclusives
I mentioned the importance of securing an exclusive or two earlier, but this shouldn’t stop at the Nexus Player itself. Like most Nexus devices, it’s a developer product first, meant to test the waters and ultimately demonstrate and promote Google’s software. Android TV is the long-term product here, and any and all must-play titles should be compatible across the board.
Truth is, an especially great Android app with Nexus Player and Android TV functionality could function as an exclusive, in the sense that it wouldn’t be available on Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, or traditional game consoles. It may also run on Android smartphones, but the full experience of playing with a controller and livingroom-sized picture and sound would be reserved for the Nexus Player or an Android TV device. It’s a win-win -- the Nexus Player sells in the short term, and televisions that run Android TV do well in the long term.
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Harness the power of Search
Search is still Google’s bread and butter, and from the looks of things the company hasn’t forgotten its roots with Nexus Player. Though the remote admittedly resembles that of a Fire TV, the stellar speech recognition of Google Now is a compelling proposition for any media device, not just a game console.
That said, Google needs to ensure that voice search works across the Play Store, and custom feedback and results tailored to my gaming interests would be a fantastic implementation of the info Google already has. My phone already notifies me when my video game pre-orders have shipped or if news about the latest Zelda breaks -- the Nexus Player ought to custom-tailor my experience and show me titles it knows I’ll want to play.
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Let the gamepad work with Smart TVs
Getting back to Android TV compatibility, Google’s Nexus Player gamepad should eventually be made to function without an actual Nexus Player attached. Remember, Nexus Player itself is just a means to an end -- when the specs of Smart TVs outpace boxes released just a year or two prior, you’ll want your Google gaming experience to be transferable to that 60-inch behemoth you just bought for your basement.
In a way, this offers the ultimate backwards compatibility if done right. Android TV will always run its own apps and games, and will continue to iterate as new televisions and Nexus Player hardware are released. Your games are always going to function, and the latest games will always be getting better. It’s a smooth, continuous upgrade process in stark contrast with what consoles have done for years, and the idea has massive potential.
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Have apps fill in the gaps
The great thing about Nexus Player is that a console based on Android is never going to struggle with third party support. The Play Store is already loaded with games, and there’s little reason to believe that a rooted or “jailbroken” Nexus Player wouldn't run any Android app available, regardless of whether or not it's been optimized.
In that case, the possibilities truly become endless, and the Nexus Player would stand a chance at handily replacing Ouya as a premier emulation destination. Sure, you won’t be emulating Super Mario Galaxy on it anytime soon, but your standard SNES emulator backed by a hearty collection of ROMs ought to work just fine. If Google is smart, it’ll stay out of the way as this process inevitably unfolds.
