Netflix Makes Bold Play: Smart TVs Become New Gaming Frontier

Netflix is launching games for your television. The streaming giant hosted a showcase event in Los Angeles this week. It revealed its strategy to move beyond mobile gaming.

This shift aims to make playing a game as easy as watching a show. Users will employ their smartphones as controllers. According to Bloomberg, this marks a major expansion for Netflix‘s interactive division.

From Phones to the Big Screen: A New Way to Play

The initial rollout focuses on group party games. Titles like Boggle Party and LEGO Party are now available. Tetris Time Warp and Pictionary: Game Night are also part of the launch.

A Knives Out mystery game is coming soon. It will feature detective Benoit Blanc. Players work together to solve a crime where everyone is a suspect.

Netflix Games president Alain Tascan explained the vision. He said the goal is to reinvent how people play. The company wants to leverage worlds subscribers already love.

Strategy and Upcoming Titles: Blending Familiar IP with Innovation

The strategy is to offer familiar games and beloved worlds. Netflix also plans to push gaming in new directions. The TV is a key focus, as it’s where most subscribers watch content.

More than 80 mobile games will remain available. Major new mobile titles are also coming. These include WWE 2K25: Netflix Edition and Red Dead Redemption.

A new live trivia game, Best Guess Live, was also previewed. Hosted by Howie Mandel, it will offer real-time competition for cash prizes. This shows Netflix’s commitment to varied gaming formats.

Netflix is betting that its foray into TV-based gaming will keep subscribers engaged on its platform all night long, creating a new entertainment hub beyond traditional films and series.

Info at your fingertips

How do you control Netflix games on a TV?

You use your smartphone as a controller. Simply scan a QR code shown on your TV screen with your phone’s camera. This pairs your phone to the game instantly.

What kinds of games is Netflix releasing first?

The first wave are social party games. Titles include *Boggle Party*, *LEGO Party*, and *Pictionary: Game Night*. These are designed for group play on the big screen.

Do you need a special controller or console?

No special hardware is required. You only need a smart TV with the Netflix app, a subscription, and a smartphone. Netflix is not competing directly with console makers.

Are Netflix’s mobile games going away?

No, the mobile game library remains. Netflix continues to develop and release new mobile titles. The TV games are an expansion, not a replacement.

Why is Netflix getting into gaming?

Executives cite a massive global audience of gamers. They see it as the biggest entertainment shift in decades. Games allow deeper engagement with Netflix’s original stories and characters.