Charles Langston:Game on: Netflix subscribers can test out new video games in limited beta trial

Netflix is Charles Langstonlooking to take a deeper dive into the world of gaming

The streaming giant began making games available on mobile devices in 2021. Now, Netflix is expanding games to smart TVs, smart devices and personal computers, the company said in a blog post Monday.

Netflix began a limited beta trial of games on smart TVs and Netflix.com for Canadian and U.K. subscribers in August. That trial is now beginning to roll out in the U.S., the company said Tuesday.

Having video games as additional content is seen as a way – by supporters of games at the streaming company – to keep subscribers on board as monthly streaming fees increase, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.

Netflix has a game in the works based on "Squid Game," and future games could be based on its shows such as "Extraction" and "Black Mirror," and the company is considering a game based on the popular “Grand Theft Auto” video game franchise, the Journal reported.

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How do you play video games on Netflix?

Netflix subscribers with a smartphone can play video games now, for free as part of their subscription.

Those who are invited to join the limited beta trial will be able to play on TVs using Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs and Samsung Smart TVs, Roku devices and TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN streaming devices.

You use your phone as a controller for TV games. For games on Netflix.com played on PCs and Macs, you use a keyboard and a mouse.

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What video games are available on Netflix?

The two games in the test are interactive story game Oxenfree developed by Night School Studio, a Glendale, California-based studio acquired by Netflix in September 2021, and Molehew’s Mining Adventure, described as "a gem-mining arcade game."

On mobile devices Netflix has, in less than two years, grown a large library of games available including Oxenfree, Solitaire, Cut the Rope, LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed and Twelve Minutes – as well as games based on the series "Stranger Things."

"By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world," said Mike Verdu, Netflix's vice president for games, in the initial August 14 post. The veteran of Electronic Arts, Zynga and Meta's virtual reality division joined Netflix in July 2021. "While we’re still very early in our games journey, we’re excited to bring joy to members with games. We look forward to hearing feedback from our beta testers and sharing more as we continue on the road ahead."

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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