Netflix Launches Game Controller App for iPhone
Netflix has expanded its foray into the gaming industry by releasing a new app exclusively for iOS devices. Named “Netflix Game Controller,” this app enables users to transform their phones or tablets into game controllers after connecting them to their television sets. Consequently, individuals can now play games offered by Netflix on their TVs and conveniently manage the gameplay using their mobile devices.
Although the app is already available for download, there is little further news. For example, we don’t know what games it supports or details about the pairing process. We also don’t know if and when this Android app will follow. The app’s description only teases that the gamepad functionality is “coming soon to Netflix.”
This isn’t much of a surprise given the company’s growing presence as an indie game publisher. Netflix Games has published or hosted nearly 70 games in the past two years, some of which are available through the standard Netflix streaming app, while others are available on mobile devices and game consoles. These aren’t throwaway games either, with games like Oxenfree II: Lost Signals released to critical acclaim. Oxenfree developer Night School has become Netflix’s first in-house studio.
Other titles coming to the Netflix platform in the coming months include indie series such as Storytellers, Paper Trail and the Monument Valley series. There is also an Assassin’s Creed game and a port of the LEGO: Legacy Heroes Unboxed mobile game. It’s a safe assumption that you should be able to use the newly released controller app to play some of these games. ReturnByte reached out to Netflix to inquire about compatibility and the possibility of an Android release. A spokesperson for the company said it was not commenting at this time.
