Netflix Gaming's Development Steps Towards Television Integration
Netflix Expands Limited Beta Test for Gaming Realm to U.S.
Netflix's foray into the gaming world is taking a significant step forward, as the streaming giant expands its limited beta test to the United States. The expansion, which was initially conducted in Canada and the UK, is part of Netflix's continued plans to build its gaming realm.
The rollout in the U.S. will see the games on TV operating on the same initial partner devices as they did in Canada and the UK. Two games, Oxenfree from Netflix Game Studio and Molehew's Mining Adventure, are part of the initial beta test.
Netflix announced its plans to introduce games to devices where people watch Netflix, including TVs and computers, back in August. The company started a limited beta test over the summer, initially in Canada and the UK, and the feedback from users in these regions has been gathered for a few months.
The beta test allows users to play games on TVs using a phone, or on computers with keyboard and mouse. The games in the beta test, Oxenfree and Molehew's Mining Adventure, are accessible through supported browsers on PCs and Macs.
Additional devices will be added to the beta test on an ongoing basis. Interested users in the U.S. can now register for the beta test on Netflix's new website, focusing on connected TV and web-based gaming experiences. The company is actively recruiting testers and preparing for wider rollouts over the coming weeks and months.
The beta test on select TVs includes devices from partners such as Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN.
The Verge reported on the expansion, stating that the beta test is currently being rolled out on select TVs in Canada and the UK, and will soon be expanded to PCs and Macs via Netflix.com on supported browsers. No new games were mentioned in the report about the expansion to the U.S.
Netflix's limited beta test for bringing games to TVs and computers in the United States is currently ongoing, with the company looking for testers interested in various genres like action/adventure, puzzle, role-playing, narrative, family, and more, as it refines its game offerings for TV and web users.
- As Netflix expands its limited beta test for gaming in the United States, tech enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the addition of smart-home devices, allowing them to control their gaming experience with voice commands or integrated smart-home systems.
- In a few months, Gizmodo predicts that the technology behind Netflix's gaming realm will revolutionize the future of gaming, transitioning it from a solitary activity to a more interactive and connected experience with tech gadgets like VR headsets and wearable tech.
- With the success of the smart-home-devices integration, Netflix's venture into the gaming world could pave the way for a new era of tech-driven entertainment, making TVs and computers far more than just streaming devices, but also centralized hubs for tech, gaming, and smart-home functions.
