Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for the Google Maps Platform gaming services.

Getting Started

What is the Google Maps Platform gaming services?

The Google Maps Platform gaming services is a development platform for creating games that feature world scenes constructed from Google Maps geospatial data, and that are rendered at run-time by the Unity game engine. The Google Maps Platform gaming services includes the Maps SDK for Unity and the Playable Locations API.

Which APIs do I need?

The two core APIs are the Semantic Tile API and the Playable Locations API.

Access the	To
Semantic Tile API	Retrieve map data
Playable Locations API	Retrieve playable locations

What countries does the Google Maps Platform gaming services cover?

The data that the Google Maps Platform gaming services consumes (geospatial data that the Maps SDK for Unity uses to construct real-world scenes, and the playable location data provided by the Playable Locations API) covers the entire world, except for these unsupported regions.

Understanding the terms of service

What are the terms of service for the Google Maps Platform gaming services APIs?: You must state within your game's terms of service, that your end users, by using the game, are bound by both the Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy—and you must include hyperlinks to both.
Can I use names of companies in my game?: Yes, as long as you use the place name exactly as it is returned from our API—because Google Maps already shows POI data with names of the associated company.
Can I include well-known landmarks in my game (such as the Empire State Building)?: Yes, because this information is included in Google Maps.

Using the Google Maps Platform gaming services

What keys or credentials should I use for different Google Maps Platform gaming services APIs?

An API key is a globally unique alphanumeric identifier that you generate using the Google Cloud Console. Each time you use Google Maps Platform gaming services APIs, you must include an API key to authenticate your request. For more information, see Using API Keys.

API Key Restrictions

Because of the enhanced security that they afford, Google strongly recommends that you use key restrictions. Once restricted, a key will work only on platforms to which that key restriction applies. Four types of API key restrictions are available.

Restriction Type	Applies to	Use With
IP Addresses	Game servers and CRON jobs	The Playable Locations API
HTTP Referrer	Web sites	Not used
Android Apps	Package name and fingerprint	The Vector Tile API
iOS Apps	Bundle identifier	The Vector Tile API

How can I find out about the changes introduced into each version of the Google Maps Platform gaming services APIs?

You have two options:

How do I report a bug or request a new feature in the Google Maps Platform gaming services?

Bugs can be reported and feature request made on the Issue Tracker . If you are experiencing an urgent issue, create a support case with Google Support.

How often should I log impressions?

To log impressions, you call the methods ReportInteractedPlace() and ReportPresentedPlace() in the Google.Maps.PlayableLocationsService class, in the Maps SDK for Unity. The Maps SDK for Unity handles throttling, so it doesn't matter how frequently you call the two methods.

Errors, troubleshooting, and support

I can't find the answer to my question. Who should I contact?: You can contact support by filing a case in the Google Cloud Platform Console Help as described here.