Netflix Begins Testing Video Game Streaming on Certain Gadgets, Smart TVs, and Computer Browsers

Netflix has announced its plans to expand the availability of its games on various devices. Previously, the company’s extensive collection of games was limited to iOS and Android platforms. However, Netflix is now utilizing its streaming technology to conduct public testing of its games on televisions and computers.

“Our goal has always been to bring gaming to everyone, and we’re working hard to meet members where they are with an accessible, seamless, and ubiquitous service,” Mike Verdu, vice president of games at Netflix, wrote in a blog post. “Today we’re taking the first step to make games playable on all the devices our members use to enjoy Netflix.”

The test so far seems to be very limited. At the beginning, only two games are available: Oxenfree (Netflix just released a sequel to its first game from its own studio) and the gem mining game Molehew’s Mining Adventure.

The beta is only open to a small number of Netflix subscribers in the UK and Canada on Amazon Fire TV streaming media players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, NVIDIA Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs and Walmart ONN. The company will add support for more devices later.

You can play Netflix games on your TV using the controller app that the company just released. When you select a game, your TV will display a QR code. Scan this with your phone to use it as a controller.

The games will also be available to try on Netflix’s website via supported desktop browsers in the coming weeks. You can control them on PC and Mac computers with a keyboard and mouse.

Netflix says the goal of the test is to put its game streaming technology and controller app through their paces. Due to the complexity of licensing agreements with various publishers, it is not yet clear whether Netflix will bring all of the games in its library to TVs and web browsers. For example, you need a Netflix subscription to play Kentucky Route Zero, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge or Immortality on your phone, but these games are all available on other platforms. In any case, there is a big new player entering the cloud gaming space.