Android 13 could significantly reduce game loading times

Google provided various new features for mobile gamers and developers with Android 12 in order to elevate the Android gaming experience.

A new Game Dashboard application is available on select devices, including the Pixel 6 series, that gives you access to essential tools like a screenshot shortcut, a screen recorder, a DND toggle, and more when you're gaming. Meanwhile, the new Game Mode API allows game developers to tailor their game for better speed or battery life based on the user's performance profile. With some new features, Android 13 continues to push for better mobile gaming.

Android 13 adds a new method called setGameState to the GameManager API, according to Esper's Mishaal Rahman. This allows games to transmit their current state to the system. This allows games to pass the game's top-level status and signal whether or not it can be interrupted.

Games can also utilize the setGameState method to inform the platform if the game is loading assets/resources/compiling/etc. The platform can then transmit a loading time indication to the power HAL, causing the new GAME LOADING mode to activate and improve CPU performance. When the GAME LOADING feature is enabled, OEMs will be able to select the CPU performance tuning they want to use.

In principle, this should mean you'll spend less time staring at the game's initial loading screen. Many Android OEMs have already implemented different improvements to improve game loading, such as allocating extra CPU and GPU resources.

According to Esper, Google is considering adding a test to the Vendor Test Suite (VTS) that would force all devices launching with Android 13 and later to use GAME LOADING mode. However, it is unclear whether or not this criteria has been finalized at this time. It's also possible that devices running Android 13 won't have access to the new power HAL version or the GAME LOADING feature.

Source : Esper