Netflix is arguably one of the best streaming services around, and since the announcement of Netflix Games, the company has stepped into an arena dominated by other big players. With an impressive collection of titles you should check out right away, Netflix Games has an established presence on smartphones and tablets. Now, there is reason to believe the full Netflix Games experience is making its way to TV.
Presently, the Netflix app for smart TVs offers content streaming and not much more. App developer Steve Moser informed Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman of new obfuscated code in the Netflix app for mobile. One line clearly suggests Netflix Games is coming to TV: “A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?”
Netflix entered the gaming space in 2021 to help curb its losses from a gradual decline in the use of streaming services. Presently, users on smartphones and tablets get the best of both worlds — Netflix Games, and its vast catalog of shows and movies. Meanwhile, users on TV are stuck with just the latter.
Gaming on a TV’s limited processing horsepower doesn’t sound like a recipe for the best user experience. So, Gurman seems inclined to believe Netflix will switch to cloud gaming at some point if resource intensive Netflix Games titles are destined for the larger screen.
Late last year, we caught wind of Netflix’s potential plans to go the cloud gaming route. If it does, TV users are in for a treat with support for a high-quality gaming experience, helping Netflix Games fill the shoes of Google’s now-dead Stadia.
Netflix declined Bloomberg’s request for comment, but the way we see it, an expansion for Games on TV is the next logical step for the brand, followed by a gradual transition to cloud gaming if the games are well-received by TV-first users. Needless to say, the code in the app is no guarantee Netflix will follow through with the move, but we have high hopes, especially given the industry has one less competitor now.
