Google Play 2025 Awards: Focus Friend wins best app, Pokémon TCG Pocket best game

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Google Play has revealed its Best of 2025 picks, awarding Focus Friend as Best App and Pokémon TCG Pocket as Best Game, alongside winners across AI tools, creativity apps, family favourites and multi device experiences, showcasing the depth of today’s Android ecosystem.

Google Play has closed out the year with its annual celebration of standout Android apps and games, revealing its picks for 2025 and highlighting a mix of creativity, usefulness and cross-device innovation.(Google )

Focus Friend named Best App of 2025

This year’s most surprising win comes in the Best App category, where Focus Friend by Hank Green took the crown. Despite a year dominated by AI-driven tools, Google chose a gentler, gamified productivity companion. The app blends a minimalist focus timer with the charm of a digital pet, offering users a playful way to stay on task.

Pokémon TCG Pocket wins Best Game

The Best Game award, meanwhile, went to a far more familiar franchise. Pokémon TCG Pocket secured the top spot as Google Play’s favourite game of 2025, bringing the beloved trading card format to mobile with an emphasis on striking artwork, collectible booster packs and faithful recreations of classic gameplay.

AI did make its presence felt in other categories. Luminar, the multi-device Best App winner, impressed Google with its advanced AI photo-editing suite, which aims to appeal to both casual editors and professionals. Disney Speedstorm claimed the multi-device Best Game trophy, delivering fast-paced kart racing that swaps Nintendo mascots for iconic Disney characters and settings.

Full list of additional winners

A wide range of other titles were recognised across specialised categories, reflecting Google Play’s sprawling ecosystem. This year’s additional winners include:

• Best for Fun: Edits, an Instagram-linked creativity 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 Multiplayer: Dunk City Dynasty
• Best Pick Up and 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

Google’s 2025 list once again showcases the variety and depth of the Android ecosystem, celebrating everything from indie storytelling to blockbuster franchises and cosy productivity tools.