Netflix has begun the first public testing of its cloud-streamed games. Beginning Monday, some Netflix users in Canada and the United Kingdom will be able to enjoy Netflix games on select TVs, connected TV devices, and online via Netflix.com.
Netflix’s VP of gaming, Mike Verdu, described this as a “limited beta test” for a small subset of customers, implying that not all subscribers in these locations will have immediate access. Nonetheless, this move signifies a watershed moment for the company’s gaming ambitions, according to a report in
By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world. While we’re still very early in our games journey, we’re excited to bring joy to members with games. We look forward to hearing feedback from our beta testers and sharing more as we continue on the road ahead.
Mike Verdu
Netflix joins the gaming world
The entertainment conglomerate is testing two of its streaming video games for a limited number of users in a limited number of locations, with support for select TV models, Windows PCs, macOS computers, and mobile devices. Consoles such as the Microsoft Xbox Series X and the Sony PlayStation 5 are not presently supported.
In November 2021, the company debuted its mobile gaming offerings as a complimentary benefit for subscribers. The company’s titles are currently only available for iOS and Android. By bringing games to TVs and web browsers via cloud streaming, subscribers may be able to play Netflix’s titles in a lot more locations, and the entity may also begin to compete for gaming time on TVs and computers.
When playing on TV, you’ll use your smartphone to control the games. The controller will be available on Android using the Netflix app, while iOS users would need to download a separate controller app, according to spokesperson Chrissy Kelleher. If you have internet access, you will use a mouse and keyboard to play the games.
Here’s what to expect
Mike Verdu, vice president of games at Netflix, wrote on Monday that the tech company is still “very early in our games journey,” but it will offer two games to beta testers to begin with. One is Oxenfree, a narrative adventure game developed by Night School Studio and acquired by Netflix in 2021. The second is Molehew’s Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade game.
The following TVs and connected TV devices will support Netflix games for the time being:
1. Amazon Fire TV streaming media players
2. Chromecast with Google TV
3. LG TVs
4. Nvidia Shield TV
5. Roku devices and TVs
6. Samsung Smart TVs
7. Walmart Onn
This initial rollout is modest, but it represents a potentially paradigm-shifting transformation in the company’s position in the gaming landscape.
FAQ – Can mobile games on Netflix be played on television? When playing on a television, the game will be controlled via a smartphone. Android users will be able to access the controller through the Netflix app, while iOS users will need to obtain a separate controller app.
The entrance of Netflix into the gaming realm holds varying implications for users within both the decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) sectors. For DeFi enthusiasts, this move could spark intriguing intersections between entertainment and decentralized technologies.
The integration of gaming into the entity’s ecosystem might pave the way for decentralized gaming platforms, incorporating blockchain-based ownership and reward mechanisms. Users could potentially earn tokens or NFTs while playing games, enabling a novel approach to value creation within the DeFi space.
In both DeFi and TradFi contexts, the behemoth’s entrance into the gaming sector introduces a dynamic where entertainment, finance, and technology converge, potentially reshaping how users interact with both decentralized and traditional financial systems.
