Netflix is working on features that will allow members to play their mobile games against each other and compete in game rankings. Starting last month, The company quietly introduced The ability to allow users to create unique“Joysticks” in a subset of its mobile games, including Into The Breach, followed by Bowling Ballers, Mahjong Solitaire and Heads Up! . In addition, references found in the Netflix app point to ambitions to expand the game, including the ability to invite other users to play games with you, and the ability to show you where you are in the rankings, among other things.
In a statement to TechCrunch, the company confirmed that it is exploring a variety of gaming features, but could not say which, other than the controller, will be made public to users or when.
“We’ve been looking to improve the service experience for our members and are exploring different features to enrich Netflix’s mobile gaming experience,” said Netflix spokeswoman Kumiko Hidaka. “We don’t have anything else to share at the moment.”
These additions suggest that Netflix is looking to the future, not just by offering mobile games to its users, but by encouraging members to participate by playing with others. The news comes as Netflix has been looking for engineers and product managers with a background in cloud gaming.
According to research first discovered by developer Steve Moser, Netflix allows users to set up something called a“Game controller,” which is described as“The only public name for playing games on Netflix.”.
Starting on July 19,2022, Netflix began testing The controller in The game Into The Breach, then expanded The option to other titles.
In addition, Netflix explains to app users, “Your profile icons and names will not be seen by other people playing Netflix games.”. (in other words, you can use a nickname instead of your Netflix name and identity.)
While the controller test has been launched, the code in the app suggests that Netflix plans to allow users to see their place on the charts in the future and represent them throughout Netflix games. And these controllers will be used when“You play with other members,” the code says.
Another section mentioned the ability of users to show others whether they are online if they want to play, and to provide the ability to invite members to play with them, as well.
Adding more social components may be one way Netflix aims to better attract and retain users.
So far, however, Netflix hasn’t seen huge demand for its mobile games.
CNBC first reported that Apptopia, an app data company, recently found that Netflix’s games have an average of just 1.7 million users a day. All told, the twenty titles in the Netflix catalog have been downloaded only 23.3 million times so far. By comparison, Netflix has 221 million subscribers.
Of course, some of Netflix’s games had built-in user bases before Netflix acquired them. However, while this may account for some of the uncounted downloads, the level of participation is quite low.
It remains to be seen whether Netflix has made a strategic mistake in entering the gaming space, as it is still in its early stages.
To its credit, Netflix has found a workaround to Apple’s rule that apps on its app store platform can not host their own app store-Netflix lists its games as separate downloads, it is permissible to point to them only from their primary application. Then, the games require your Netflix credentials to log in.
Mobile consumers, however, may not want to turn to Netflix for such entertainment, just as they think of launching Netflix when they want to watch short videos like TikTok-the“Quick laugh” that Netflix promotes in its main navigation.
The premise of the streaming company seems to be that it must increase its laggard user base by offering more entertainment channels. But the broader feedback from critics and users is that what they really want isn’t games or TikToks, just more high-quality programming.