Netflix Is Testing Mobiles Games on Smart TVs, Streaming Devices, PCs, Macs, More
Netflix fans in the United Kingdom and Canada will soon get to test two games on devices other than their phones. The company announced that a limited beta test in Canada and the U.K. would allow users to play “Oxenfree” and “Molehew’s Mining Adventure” on PC, Mac, and select streaming devices. PC and Mac players on a supported browser can simply use their mouse and keyboard to play the streaming games right on their device, while users who stream using Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, LG Smart TVs, Nvidia Shield, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN devices can use their smartphone as a controller.
Back in March, the seeds of this new functionality were planted. A Bloomberg reporter found hints in the app’s code, alerting them to play games on TV sets as well as asking users if they want to use their phone as a controller for said game. Netflix recently released the gaming controller app for iPhone and iPad users, allowing users to test out the app before games become available on connected streaming devices. While the app isn’t available for Android — or other users just yet, it’s not really a huge deal since no games are widely available to play on a TV as of now.
There’s also been no word as to whether Netflix clients on gaming consoles like PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch will utilize the hardware’s controllers or require the tethered phone app to play. “Oxenfree II” was released in June alongside a “Queen’s Gambit” chess game and others.
Netflix’s gaming division got a shot in the arm when a former 343 Industries executive joined the company to lead their gaming efforts. Joseph Staten, the former creative lead of “Halo Infinite,” was brought on to oversee the development of a “brand-new AAA multiplatform game and original IP,” meaning this won’t be a new “Stranger Things” or “Black Mirror” game but something completely different.
The world’s largest streaming service plans to release over 40 new games by the end of this year including a “Sonic Prime” game to accompany the new season of the animated series. The company is aggressively making efforts to improve the user experience in order to attract users that are accustomed to playing on more traditional platforms.
Despite the fact that as of last year, only an estimated 1% of Netflix users had played any of the platform's mobile games, the space has been an important area of investment for the company as it looks to keep users engaged as streaming saturation begins to set in for even more markets around the world.
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.