In a recent blog post, Mike Verdu, Netflix’s Vice President of Games, introduced the company’s enhanced gaming venture. This initiative signifies a significant step forward as Netflix aims to upgrade its gaming efforts. Verdu outlined their strategy, which involves conducting game trials on designated televisions and computers. This move demonstrates Netflix’s commitment to expanding its gaming presence and exploring new avenues within the entertainment industry.
“We’ve been focused on creating a great gaming experience since 2021 when we added mobile games to Netflix”
VERDU SAID IN THE RELEASE.
In an effort to broaden the availability of gaming experiences, Netflix is launching a controlled beta trial for a select group of subscribers based in Canada and the United Kingdom. This trial is designed to provide an early glimpse into the gaming features and will initially roll out on specific television models from Monday onward. As the initiative progresses, the testing will be expanded to encompass personal computers, including both PCs and Macs, accessible through Netflix’s official website via compatible web browsers. This phased approach demonstrates Netflix’s cautious yet progressive strategy in introducing gaming to its platform.
After making its initial foray into the gaming landscape with the introduction of mobile games in November 2021, Netflix has embarked on a concerted effort to amplify its gaming repertoire. Having primarily focused on offering games through Apple’s iOS and Alphabet’s Android platforms, the streaming giant is now poised to take its gaming initiative to new heights.
In pursuit of this ambition, Netflix is embarking on a preliminary testing phase aimed at refining its gaming offerings. This phase of testing will see the incorporation of games such as “Oxenfree,” a creation from Night School Studio, an internal gaming studio within Netflix, and “Molehew’s Mining Adventure,” an engaging arcade-style gem-mining game.
For users accessing Netflix via their television screens, these games will be made accessible through their smartphones. On the other hand, individuals using personal computers such as PCs and Macs can indulge in these games directly on the Netflix.com platform, employing the familiar combination of a keyboard and mouse for interactive control.
Mike Verdu, providing insight into this strategic expansion, emphasized that the underlying objective of broadening game availability across an variety of devices is to not only diversify the gaming experience but also elevate it for their expansive and diverse membership base spanning the globe.
In a revealing move, Netflix divulged that the games designed for television play will seamlessly function on devices from its initial partners. These partners encompass an array of popular devices, including Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, Roku devices, and others, thereby ensuring compatibility and ease of access for a wide range of users.
This endeavor follows Netflix’s previous announcement in March, where the company disclosed its ambitious plans to introduce an additional 40 games throughout the course of the year. These forthcoming titles will complement the existing lineup of 70 games already in varying stages of development through collaborative partnerships. This robust expansion is set to be augmented by the ongoing efforts of Netflix’s in-house gaming studios, which are concurrently working on 16 distinct games to contribute to the platform’s growing gaming ecosystem.
In a recent development, Netflix has introduced the Netflix Game Controller app on the Apple App Store, making it available for iPhones and iPads. This innovative app serves as a virtual gamepad, streamlining the process of playing Netflix games on a television screen. Designed to work seamlessly with devices operating on iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 and subsequent versions, the app establishes a connection with your TV, allowing you to engage in gaming using your mobile device as a controller. This advancement presents a user-friendly way to enhance the gaming experience by leveraging the capabilities of both your handheld device and your television.
