In a significant move to diversify its entertainment offerings, streaming giant Netflix has unveiled a brand-new app that paves the way for subscribers to delve into the world of gaming right from their television screens. The newly introduced "Netflix Game Controller" app allows users to transform their smartphones into gaming controllers, seamlessly connecting with their TVs to access an array of games available through Netflix's gaming service.
Though the app has already surfaced on the App Store, details regarding the specific games slated for the television screen and the anticipated release date remain scarce. The app's description tantalizingly hints at a future release: "Coming soon to Netflix."
Netflix had previously indicated its aspirations to extend its gaming ventures beyond mobile devices. The streamer had made clear its intention to establish a gaming studio in Southern California, under the leadership of Chacko Sonny, the former executive producer of the renowned game "Overwatch" at Blizzard Entertainment.
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As Netflix continues to roll out a growing repertoire of games, Leanne Loombe, the Vice President of external games at Netflix, echoed the company's cloud gaming ambitions. Loombe expressed the belief that cloud gaming would empower Netflix to facilitate effortless access to games on any device screen. This ambitious vision encompasses gaming on users' TVs as well.
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The streaming giant also shared that it is gearing up to release a total of 40 games throughout the current year, with 16 titles currently in in-house development and an additional 70 in collaboration with partners. Since its foray into the gaming sphere in November 2021, Netflix has already launched over 50 titles.
Amid its strides in the gaming arena, Netflix's gaming endeavours have garnered less attention in recent months due to concerns regarding the potential impact of its crackdown on password-sharing. However, recent figures reveal that the platform added a substantial 5.9 million global subscribers in the last quarter, reaching an impressive total of 238.4 million subscribers. This growth hints at the potential of tapping into a larger pool of gamers when Netflix's cloud gaming service eventually debuts.
For now, the newly introduced Netflix Gaming Controller app is exclusively accessible on iOS platforms.
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