Android Auto’s latest beta brings full Android game support

Google is adding gaming support to Android Auto, with titles including Candy Crush Soda Saga and Angry Birds 2 playable from compatible cars’ touchscreens. The new feature is included in the beta version of Android 14.1, which is rolling out to testers now.

Only four games are currently supported, with Candy Crush and Angry Birds joined by Farm Heroes Saga and Beach Buggy Racing. To play them on the car’s display you need to have the games installed on your phone first, and for obvious reasons they’re only available while the car is parked. 9to5Google tested it out, and found that when you shift out of park, “the game closes immediately and is grayed out within the app drawer and app switcher.”

This addition also marks the first time that fullscreen apps have been available in Android Auto, though it’s not clear if the option will be extended to other types of app. Gaming and fullscreen support brings Android Auto closer in line to the software experience on cars with Google built-in, which already support a wider range of games to play while parked.

Gaming support in Android Auto was announced by Google earlier this month as part of its March feature drop, but the company hasn’t said when the option will leave beta. These aren’t the first games available on Android Auto, with a small number of basic titles running on HTML5 added in 2021 as part of Google’s GameSnacks service.