Google previously mentioned Chromebooks having a games overlay for Android titles to make them playable with a keyboard and mouse when it first announced Steam support earlier this year. These gaming controls are available as an early Alpha in ChromeOS 105.
Keystrokes are translated into simulated touch events like tap actions and touch-and-drag by ChromeOS gaming controllers.
The right border of the screen contains a rounded square button with a controller icon, along with virtual joysticks and on-screen buttons for the end user to operate. A key mapping editor and an on/off switch are available in the game controls options menu, which can also be opened by tapping. This overlay can also be disabled.
The following Android games (from four different interaction categories) from the Play Store are being tested by Google in Alpha with ChromeOS 105 for gaming controls:
Your ChromeOS machine has to be connected to a keyboard and an input pointer in order to be used (such as a mouse or touchpad). The controls currently only allow for active gaming; menu navigation and in-game dialogs need the usage of a mouse. Google acknowledges that it does not address the peculiar behavior that some games exhibit in specific window widths or when resizing.
All of this is to enable the playability of touchscreen-only games on a variety of devices. In spite of the fact that the majority of ChromeOS users interact with apps using a mouse and keyboard, many Google Play apps are exclusively made to be used with touch devices. Game controls provide a workaround because Google prefers that all developers use the implement keyboard support standard.
In the future, Google intends to release:
Any Google Play game that your Chromebook runs will be able to have game controls added with the help of an editor. Support for gamepads and mice additional touch interactions MORE ABOUT CHROMEOS FTC: We employ automatically earning affiliate connections. More.
