How to create a Firebase project and obtain google-services.json

The Arena SDK uses Firebase internally. For your Android app to work, you need to create a Firebase project, register your Android app, and download the google-services.json configuration file.

Step 1 — Create the Firebase project

Go to console.firebase.google.com and click Create a project. On the first screen, type your project name and click Continue.

Firebase will suggest a project ID based on the name. You can edit it if needed. Note the ID — you may need it later.

Step 2 — Enable Gemini (optional)

The next screen asks whether you want to enable the Gemini AI assistant for the project. This is optional. Click Continue.

Step 3 — Enable Google Analytics (optional)

The following screen asks about Google Analytics. This is also optional for the SDK to work. Click Create project.

Step 4 — Wait for provisioning

Firebase will provision the project resources. Wait for the progress animation to finish.

Step 5 — Project created

When the message "Your Firebase project is ready" appears, click Continue.

Step 6 — Open project settings

You will be taken to the project dashboard. Click the gear icon (⚙️) next to the project name at the top of the left sidebar and select General.

Step 7 — Add the Android app

On the General Settings page, scroll down to the "No apps in your project" section and click the Android icon.

Step 8 — Register the app and download google-services.json

In the Android package name field, enter your app's applicationId (e.g. com.example.myapp). This must match exactly what is declared in your app/build.gradle.
The App nickname field is optional.
Click Register app.
On the next step, click Download google-services.json.
Move the downloaded file into the app/ folder of your Android project (the same folder that contains the module-level build.gradle).

The final structure should look like this:

MyApp/
  app/
    google-services.json   ← here
    src/
    build.gradle
  build.gradle
  settings.gradle

Step 9 — Back to the SDK setup

With the google-services.json in place, return to the SDK README to continue the integration:

Arena Android SDK — README