Netflix testing video game streaming
A limited number of gamers will get to experience video game streaming as part of a beta test from Netflix, the media company announced.
The test will only be open to a small number of Netflix subscribers in Canada and the U.K. at first, according to a company blog post. It will roll out to select TVs on Monday and then to PCs and Macs through the Netflix website in the coming weeks.
The streaming company's expansion into video games started in 2021 when Netflix Games rolled out on mobile devices. Netflix vice president of games Mike Verdu called it the "first step in making games playable on every device where our members enjoy Netflix — TVs, computers, and mobile."
"By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world," Verdu said. "While we're still very early in our games journey, we're excited to bring joy to members with games."
The initial test will include just two games: Oxenfree from Night School Studio, a Netflix Game Studio, and Molehew's Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade game. Players can use their cellphones as controllers while streaming games on TV. Those playing on computers can play on the Netflix site using a keyboard and mouse. A Netflix game controller app was recently added to the Apple app store.
Netflix said that for the initial beta test, the following TVs and connected TV devices will support Netflix's games:
- Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players
- Chromecast with Google TV
- LG TVs
- Nvidia Shield TV
- Roku devices and TVs
- Samsung Smart TVs
- Walmart ONN
Netflix said additional devices will be added on an ongoing basis.
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Aliza Chasan is a digital producer at 60 Minutes and CBS News.
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