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Netflix Expands Gaming Reach to Smart TVs in UK and Canada

Netflix is extending its gaming offerings to encompass new platforms, notably select smart TVs, commencing in the UK and Canada. By: Syahmi Zulqarnain

UK/Canada - Currently in the beta testing phase, this expansion introduces gaming to a limited range of television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN. Although Netflix entered the gaming realm in November 2021 with the launch of mobile games, this development marks the debut of video game access on television screens.

The initial two games undergoing beta tests are Oxenfree from Netflix-owned Night School Studio and the gem-mining arcade game Molehew’s Mining Adventure. Gamers on televisions will employ their smartphones as controllers, while PC and Mac users will also have the opportunity to play games using a keyboard and mouse, a first for Netflix.

Mike Verdu, Netflix's VP of games, stated, "This limited beta is meant to test our game streaming technology and controller, and to improve the member experience over time."

While Netflix has publicly downplayed its gaming aspirations, its investments in the sector, which include acquiring Night School Studio, Next Games in Helsinki, and Boss Fight Entertainment in Texas, alongside inaugurating its own studios in California and Finland, indicate the company sees a substantial opportunity to tap into a new gaming audience.

Verdu commented, "By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world." He added, "While we’re still very early in our games journey, we’re excited to bring joy to members with games. We look forward to hearing feedback from our beta testers and sharing more as we continue on the road ahead."

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