Katarzyna Petru
LEGO, Tetris and party classics in the new "Games" tab. Netflix is finally entering the TV gaming market – but we're not talking about AAA console productions. Instead, the platform is focusing on party games that we can launch directly from the Netflix app on a Smart TV or multimedia box. Controls? Just… a phone.
Games for a Friday Night
As Netflix announces:
“This holiday season, you can switch from Kpop Demon Hunters to party games for the whole family, without leaving Netflix. We are creating a brand new way to play — as simple as watching a show on a Friday night. All you need is Netflix and your phone.”
A new tab “Games” will appear later this year in the Netflix app on televisions, and the first five games are set to kick off every gathering.
First 5 Netflix games for TVs:
LEGO® Party! – party competition in the world of LEGO. Mini-games, treasure races, and themed challenge zones.
Boggle Party – find as many words as you can in a jumble of letters. Play solo or with up to eight mates.
Pictionary: Game Night – a classic with a new twist. Draw and guess at lightning speed.
Tetris Time Warp – a journey through different eras of the iconic Tetris – from the 1984 version to Game Boy.
Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends – one player has no idea what's going on. Can you unmask them?
Netflix Games – the next step after mobile
So far, Netflix has offered mobile games on iOS and Android, but for the past few years, it has been experimenting with cloud gaming – that is, playing in the cloud without downloading. Tests are ongoing in several countries, including Poland, and include devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, LG webOS, Roku, Samsung Tizen, Nvidia Shield, and Vizio Smart TV.
The company promises to continue expanding the list of supported devices and markets.
“This is just the beginning – stay tuned for more announcements and get ready for some shared fun on Netflix.”
Games on Netflix — as easy as watching a series
Netflix doesn't want to compete with consoles – it wants to find a place in the heart of home entertainment, where friends and family come together. If the concept takes off, playing on the television could become as natural as turning on the next episode of your favourite series.
