Younger generations have no idea what watching movies and TV shows was like back in the ’90s — when you had to make it back home on time to avoid missing it, or have someone video-record it for you.
Do Gen Zers even know what video recorders are?
Younger generations might see the past, when you had no option to binge-watch your favorite show over the weekend, as a kind of hell. However, there were some benefits.
Families would gather at the same time to enjoy programming together, and people would generally appreciate each movie or episode more.
Today, massive content demand dictates a wide variety and constant innovation so that people can stream anywhere, anytime, and always have something new to watch. With that pace, it seems impossible to maintain the same level of quality.
This doesn’t mean there are no good shows today. But in my humble opinion, I believe lower-quality shows outnumber better ones.
Regardless, streaming has taken the world by storm, and for good reasons: freedom and convenience.
Now, the king of the streaming world, Netflix, is making a major move to maintain its position in the industry.
Netflix enables playing games on smart TV
Netflix subscribers are no longer subscribed only to streaming services. Now, Netflix users can indulge in games right on their smart TV.
The news comes about two years after talk of the streaming giant’s plan to bring its mobile games to television, writes TechCrunch. In 2023, Netflix rolled out a game controller app for iOS devices.
Now, things have reached a whole new level: a smart TV level.
Games Netflix subscribers can play on their TV:
- Pictionary
- Boggle Party
- Tetris
- LEGO Party
- Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends
These games can be played solo or with friends.
Related: Warner Bros. Discovery has more bad news for HBO Max subscribers
“This is just the beginning,” Netflix shared in its announcement. It appears that the company plans to upgrade its game offerings in the upcoming months.
At the moment, playing games is only available on select smart TV screens and only in some countries, but the company says it will expand this feature over time.
How to play Netflix games on TV
Playing games on smart TV through the Netflix app seems rather simple and straightforward. To play, just follow these steps:
- Open the Netflix app on your smart TV.
- Choose the Games section and then the Games tab.
- Select the game you wish to play.
- When the QR appears, scan it using your smartphone.
- Follow the instructions to install the Netflix Game Controller app.
- Open the app and scan the QR code again.
Once you complete these steps, your smartphone should be paired and you can use it to play games, explains a report from Analytics Insight.
Subscribers will be pleased to know that playing Netflix TV games comes at no extra cost.
Netflix’s recent strategic moves and developments
Netflix is not new to games, as it launched mobile games some four years ago. However, until recently, it hasn’t been clear that gaming is part of a serious strategy to enhance its offerings.
Launching party games, in particular, is a strategic move. This encourages more subscribers to engage, and keeps them on the platform even when they are not streaming shows and movies.
Adding games is just one of several recent big bets the streaming giant has made. Other major long-term Netflix projects include:
- Investing in AI tools for advertising and internal operations
- Physical expansion with the “Netflix House” concept
- Content pipeline (new seasons of “Love is Blind,” “The Diplomat”)
- Franchise growth
- Talent partnerships, such as the one with beloved preschool video host Ms. Rachel
Earlier this month, Netflix experienced a cultural backlash when Tesla CEO Elon Musk supported a conservative campaign urging people to “cancel Netflix.”
The reason? Controversy surrounding the animated show “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” which was canceled in 2023, writes Faizan Farooque for TheStreet.
More precisely, Musk shared on X (formerly Twitter): “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.”
It’s worth noting that Netflix has not commented on the campaign. The streaming giant appears unfazed, continuing to focus on its broader business strategy and long-term growth initiatives.
