Google Play Games is giving Sidekick a much-needed activation upgrade

The Play Store now lets you activate the Sidekick overlay via the notification panel. Google Play Games is giving Sidekick a much-needed activation upgrade. Sidekick in Google Play Games is now easier to trigger.

This new option sits alongside the existing onscreen drag handle to enable the Sidekick overlay. We have also spotted an under-development double-tap-based activation method for Sidekick, though it’s unclear when it will be available. Google finally gave Play Games a big upgrade last year, including an in-game overlay called Sidekick.

This overlay lets you instantly view achievements, get input on the game with Gemini Live, take screenshots/screen recordings, and more. Activating Sidekick in supported games currently requires users to drag the handle that appears on the right or left of the screen. The Play Store is now adding a new activation method for this gamer-centric feature, and might have another in the works.