Netflix may have begun or is attempting to begin testing games for television. It is said that Moser discovered hidden code that refers to games played on television and additional code that suggests the possibility of using smartphones as controllers for those games.
It would appear that one of the app’s lines reads “A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?” Moser also discovered hints that the then-upcoming ad-supported plan of the service might not include offline viewing. It turned out that he was right.
In 2021, the streaming giant made its gaming experience available for Android, iPhone, and iPad. Due to rules set by Apple and Google, mobile users must download games from the App Store or Google Play. However, these games can only be played within the Netflix app and require an active subscription to access because their goal is to increase user engagement and retention. These games are notably absent from the Netflix TV app.
It is unknown how the company will implement gaming on televisions and whether users will also be required to download the games before they can play them. However, Netflix’s vice president of game development, Mike Verdu, stated last year that the company is “seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering” and intends to launch more than merely television games.
Users will have to settle for what is available on mobile for the time being. Netflix currently has approximately 55 games in its catalog, but it will release 40 more games throughout 2023.