The programmes are designed to help small games studios grow on Google Play, no matter what stage they are in. If they are a small games studio looking for help to launch a new title, they should apply for the Accelerator to get mentorship and education. If they have already created and launched a high quality game that is ready for the spotlight, they can enter the Festival for a chance to win promotions.

This year the programmes come with some changes, including nearly double the eligible markets, with developers from over 70 countries eligible to apply for the 2021 programme, and fully digital event experiences. The deadline for application is July 1.

Selected participants will be invited to take part in a 12-week online acceleration programme. During this time they will have exclusive access to a community of Google and industry experts, as well as a network of other passionate developers from around the world looking to supercharge their growth.

If they are indie game developers who have recently launched a high quality game, this is their chance to have their games discovered by industry experts and players worldwide.

This year Google will host three competitions for developers from Japan, South Korea, and selected European countries.

Prizes include being featured on Google Play store, promotional campaigns worth 100,000 EUR (US$119,338), and more.

Google Play is committed to helping all developers thrive, whether these are large multinational companies or small startups and indie game studios. They are all critical to providing the services and experiences that people around the world look for on their Android devices.

The indie game developer community, in particular, constantly pushes the boundaries with their creativity and passion, and brings unique and diverse content to players everywhere. — VNS