Netflix has been expanding its gaming offerings beyond just mobile games. The company is now beta testing game streaming on TV screens and computers.
The limited beta test is currently available in Canada and the UK for TVs, and support for PC and Mac will be added in the coming weeks. As part of the test, users can try out games like Oxenfree and Molehew’s Mining Adventure using their phones as controllers for TV games and keyboard and mouse for computer games on Netflix.com.
“This limited beta is designed to test our game streaming technology and controller, and to continually enhance the user experience,” stated Netflix. The Netflix gaming controller, as shown in the image below, takes over the smartphone screen and features ABXY buttons and a virtual thumbstick.
Netflix is following its usual strategy of testing new features in select regions before a broader rollout.
Currently, supported TVs include Amazon Fire TV units, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung smart TVs, and Walmart ONN. Netflix plans to add more devices in the future.
“By making games available on more devices, we aim to make gaming even more accessible for our global members. While we are still in the early stages of our gaming journey, we are excited to bring joy to our members through games,” said Mike Verdu, Netflix Games boss. “We look forward to receiving feedback from our beta testers and sharing more as we move forward.”
In October 2022, Verdu expressed Netflix’s serious interest in offering cloud gaming for TV and PC, and now that ambition is becoming a reality.
“We will approach this expansion the same way we did with mobile, starting small, being humble, thoughtful, and then scaling up. But it is a step we believe we should take to meet our members where they are, on the devices they use to consume Netflix,” Verdu explained.
In 2011, Netflix announced plans to offer Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii games for rental by mail, but ultimately, these plans were abandoned. At the time, the company expressed a desire to consider offering games for rental by mail, but it never materialized.
In the initial announcement for Qwikster, Netflix CEO and founder Reed Hastings acknowledged the audience’s enthusiasm for games. “Members have been asking for video games for many years, and now that DVD-by-mail has its own team, we are finally making it happen,” he said.
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