What you need to know
- Google Play Store announces its yearly “Best Of” winners, which sees Focus Friend by Hank Green for Best Overall app and Pokémon TCG Pocket for Best Game.
- Best Multi-device app goes to Luminar and Disney Speedstorm, which takes the best game for the same multi-device category.
- Google highlights its many updates this year for the Play Store, some of which have aimed to improve the gaming experience for users.
It’s that time of year again; Google Play has officially announced its “Best Of” winners for 2025, and there’s a little something for everyone.
Earlier this morning (Nov 18), Google posted the results for its Best Of for 2025, a list of winners based on user interactions all year long. While the company highlights updates made to the Play Store this year for “boosted rewards, a unified gaming experience,” and more, it’s the winners that are taking center stage. Leading off the winners this year is the “Best overall app and game” category.
Google announced that the winners for this category are Focus Friend by Hank Green (Best Overall app) and Pokémon TCG Pocket for Best Game. The former aims to help users remain focused and in the present, especially in a time when our digital lives blend with reality. Pokémon TCG Pocket brings the joys of collecting and ripping open card packs to phones in a way that’s colorful and exciting. Moreover, users can trade with friends and engage in action-packed card battles against the CPU or others in Ranked competitive play.
“Best Multi-device app and game” is up next, and Google Play states the winners for this are Luminar and Disney Speedstorm, respectively. Luminar brings an assortment of AI tools for photographers looking to spruce up their images, no matter which device they decide to pick up. Disney Speedstorm includes all your favorite characters, but placed in wickedly fast cars around a race course.
The remainder of the Best of Google Play 2025 announcements are as follows:
Best Apps of 2025
- Best for Fun: Edits, an Instagram app
- Best for Personal Growth: Focus Friend by Hank Green
- Best Everyday Essential: Wiser – 15 Minute Audio Books
- Best Hidden Gem: Pingo AI Language Learning
- Best for Families: ABCmouse 2: Kids Learning Game
- Best for Watches: SleepisolBio: sleep, alarm
- Best for Large Screens: Goodnotes: Notes, docs, PDF
- Best for Cars: SoundCloud: The Music You Love
- Best for XR Headsets: Calm – Sleep, Meditate, Relax
Best Games of 2025
- Best Multiplayer: Dunk City Dynasty
- Best Pick Up & Play: Candy Crush Solitaire
- Best Indie: Chants of Sennaar
- Best Story: Disco Elysium
- Best Ongoing: Wuthering Waves
- Best on Play Pass: DREDGE
- Best for Google Play Games on PC: Odin: Valhalla Rising
You can check out the official post for more information about the Best Of winners, and the developers’ takes on why they created the apps they did. Moreover, for those even more curious about apps from other countries, Google states there are Best Of results for local winners from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, and Taiwan.
