After a successful run in Japan and South Korea, Google Play's Points rewards program is coming to the west. Google announced today that its free loyalty program will roll out to devices in the US over the coming week. The rewards program, called Google Play Points, will allow users to earn points for everything they do on the Android app marketplace, like downloading new apps or games. Play Points is not limited to apps and games but also extends to movies, TV shows, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and subscription content.
The program is free to join and users can redeem points earned in the program for things like discounts and in-app purchases of characters, gems, in-game currency or other special items in apps like "Candy Crush" or "Pokémon Go." The points can also be converted into Google Play Credit and then be used to purchase or rent movies or audiobooks, the search engine giant said in a blog post.
Additionally, users can also donate their earnings to a long list of non-profit organizations and charitable institutions, including Doctors Without Borders USA, Save the Children, and the World Food Program USA.
In general, you can earn a couple of points here and there for each dollar spent on the Google Play Store but there are also bonus categories that will award you additional points for certain categories, apps, or in-app purchases. For instance, one week you could earn 3x points on movie purchases, and the next you could score 5x points for making an in-app purchase in a specific game.
It's not necessarily required for you to spend money on the Play Store to earn points. You can also get points without coughing up a penny, like trying out a new free game or app. All you need to do is install the app and the points are yours.
Play Points is a four-tiered program with four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. You move up the ranks as you rake in more points, and even earn weekly prices at the higher levels. Although these rewards may seem relatively nominal in scale but could create a much more significant incentive to download, play and purchase from Google Play.
