Netflix Working to Bring Mobile Games to TVs with Phones Serving as Controllers
Given how heavily Netflix has invested in mobile gaming, it was only a matter of time before it made its games available to play on bigger screens. That time could be coming soon, as Bloomberg is reporting intel from app developer Steve Moser that code buried inside the Netflix app now references the ability to play games on TV sets.
Also hidden within the Netflix code is a line that asks, “A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?” This would hardly be a staggering innovation on Netflix’s part, as many companies offer apps that allow phones to be transformed into digital TV remotes. But it would be a smart way of attracting users to games without forcing them to buy controllers or other equipment.
There is no timeline on when Netflix games might be available to play on TVs. The company has offered no public comment on the idea, so for now it remains just a few lines of code in the app. It’s possible that Netflix may decide never to adapt its games for use on televisions, but given how invested the company has been in its mobile game development efforts, that seems unlikely.
Netflix first introduced mobile games in 2021 for Apple and Android devices, as a way to keep users engaged while they waited between new seasons of their favorite shows. Customers were slow to adopt them, however. A survey from August 2022 showed that less than 1% of Netflix subscribers were playing, but Netflix has worked hard to get more users interested.
Those efforts include a wide expansion of the gaming library with puzzle games, shooters, and even options to interact with cats and butterflies. The company says it will release up to 40 games in 2023, and it has added gamer handles and other social functions so that users can play together and compare scores.
The introduction of mobile gaming to TV screens would be an important step for Netflix, but it may not be the last step. The company has previously expressed an interest in offering cloud gaming, which would allow Netflix to go beyond the limits of mobile games and give users the option to play console games as well.
Again, right now there’s nothing but a few lines of buried code to indicate that Netflix even wants to expand mobile games to TVs. But the company has six in-house studios and multiple outside partners helping it develop games, and it makes too much sense to offer them on bigger screens for Netflix to hold back this feature for much longer.
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.