After becoming a giant in DVD rentals and then streaming and studio production, Netflix Inc. is pushing harder against the boundaries of yet another frontier: gaming.
The streaming service on Monday said it was testing videogames on more devices where people consume its videos, like TVs and computers, as well as a phone-based controller. That beta test will start today, among select users in Canada and the U.K., and Netflix
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“Today, we’re taking the first step in making games playable on every device where our members enjoy Netflix — TVs, computers, and mobile,” Netflix said in a release.
The beta test is intended to gauge Netflix’s game-streaming technology and controller. Netflix first added mobile games in 2021.
“We are rolling out a limited beta test to a small number of members in Canada and the U.K. on select TVs starting today, and on PCs and Macs through Netflix.com on supported browsers in the next few weeks,” the company said.
Netflix said two games would be part of that test: “Oxenfree,” from the Netflix game studio Night School Studio, and “Molehew’s Mining Adventure,” which it described as a gem-mining arcade game. The users playing the games on TV would use the phone-based controller. Those using PCs and Macs would play via Netflix’s website with a keyboard and mouse, the company said.
The company said that games on TV would run on “select devices” from partners. Among them: Amazon Fire TV streaming media players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Roku devices and smart TVs, the Nvidia Shield TV and Walmart’s Onn TVs. Netflix said more devices would be added to that list over time.
Netflix made the announcement as investors pressure streaming services to become more profitable, and as the Hollywood strikes put studio-production on hold.
Shares of Netflix were up 1% on Monday. Shares have rebounded 45% so far this year.
