Google Star Wars Customisations Present a Choice: Light or Dark Side

Once a side is chosen, you will begin to see Star Wars themes throughout many of Google’s applications, whether it is on an Android device or desktop computer.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in cinemas on 17th December in the United Kingdom, while American fans will have to wait a day longer till 18th December 2015. Either decide to be a member of the Dark Side or a member of the Light. You can too through a new collaboration between Google and Disney that will see all of your Google accounts get a themed makeover. On Maps, your location marker becomes either a TIE fighter or an X-Wing.

As for Gmail, the background will be changed to scenes from the Star Wars Universe. The progress bar and volume sliders that appear on YouTube videos also glow like lightsabers.

Those who wish to enlist with the Resistance or the First Order can go to Google.com/StarWars and make their choice (so far, according to the site, the dark side is winning). It only works for personal accounts, not one for businesses, education, or government.

Other notable Star Wars-influenced apps include, Google Calendar, where key movie milestones have been added, and Google Now, which gives users “this day in Star Wars history facts”. This is a great move for Google, and an even better way for MORE Star Wars advertising to get out there, not like we really need anymore (just kidding).

Google says there are also a few easter eggs hidden away for you to find, and more Star Wars additions will roll out leading up to the movie release. The Star Wars customizations and themes will stay in effect until February 1, 2016, unless you turn them off manually before then.