Netflix launch Cloud Gaming Beta to selected users
Netflix is entering the game streaming market, hoping to stream games to TVs, PCs, and Mobile Devices
Netflix is planning to expand into the game streaming market, and now their game streaming efforts are ready to enter beta. Netflix has not started rolling out their game streaming beta to selected users in Canada and the UK, allowing them to stream games to selected TVs starting today. Soon, this beta will also extend to PC and Mac users on specific browsers, and in time this beta will be extended across more devices.Â
Initially, two games will be available through Netflix’s game streaming service. These games are Oxenfree, and Molehew’s Mining. To control Netflix games on a TV, players are expected to use their smartphones as a controller, and gamers on PC and Mac are expected to use mouse/keyboard controls.
Over time, Netflix plans to improve their service and add support for more games and devices. Netflix has stressed that they are early in their gaming journey, which means that early users of their game streaming service should expect to see bugs or other streaming issues. These problems should be ironed out over time.Â
  We’ve been focused on creating a great gaming experience for our members since 2021 when we added mobile games to Netflix. Our goal has always been to have a game for everyone, and we are working hard to meet members where they are with an accessible, smooth, and ubiquitous service. Today, we’re taking the first step in making games playable on every device where our members enjoy Netflix – TVs, computers, and mobile.
We are rolling out a limited beta test to a small number of members in Canada and the UK on select TVs starting today, and on PCs and Macs through Netflix.com on supported browsers in the next few weeks. Two games will be part of this initial test: Oxenfree from Night School Studio, a Netflix Game Studio, and Molehew’s Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade game. To play our games on TV, we’re introducing a controller that we already have in our hands most of the day – our phones. Members on PCs and Macs can play on Netflix.com with a keyboard and mouse.
This limited beta is meant to test our game streaming technology and controller, and to improve the member experience over time. Games on TV will operate on select devices from our initial partners including: Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, NVIDIA Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN. Additional devices will be added on an ongoing basis.
By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world. 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.
At this time it is unknown how Netflix’s entry into the game streaming market will go. Game streaming is nothing like movie streaming, and it remains to be seen if Netflix can deliver a quality of service that is similar, or better, than what Xbox and Nvidia can offer with their own streaming services. Â
You can join the discussion on Netflix’s new Cloud Streaming Beta on the OC3D Forums.