Netflix (NFLX.O) is taking its foray into the world of gaming a step further by testing games on select TVs and computers, with plans to expand the gaming experience to more devices, according to a blog post by Mike Verdu, the company’s Vice President of Games.
Starting with a limited beta test in Canada and the United Kingdom, Netflix will offer its members the opportunity to play games on specific TVs. The test will later extend to PCs and Macs through Netflix.com, compatible with supported browsers.
This move comes after Netflix initially introduced gaming on mobile devices in November 2021, with its games exclusively available on iOS and Android platforms.
Two games, “Oxenfree” developed by Night School Studio, and “Molehew’s Mining Adventure,” an arcade-style gem-mining game, will be part of the initial testing phase.
Players can enjoy the games on TV using their smartphones as controllers, while those using PCs and Macs can play directly on Netflix.com using a keyboard and mouse.
Mike Verdu expressed Netflix’s intention to make games more accessible to members worldwide by expanding the range of compatible devices.
The games on TV will be supported on devices from initial partners such as Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, Roku devices, and more.
In March, Netflix had already announced its plans to release 40 new games and develop an additional 70 games in collaboration with partners throughout the year. These projects are in addition to the 16 games currently in development by Netflix’s in-house game studios.
