Netflix begins testing its in-app mobile game library, and it’s Android-only for now
Last month, Netflix confirmed plans to integrate mobile games into your existing subscription. Today, the Netflix Poland Twitter account revealed that testing for this feature has arrived in the country. Currently, it’s limited to Poland and there’s no mention as to when it will make its way to more regions.
However, if you were hoping for a Stadia-like experience, then you might be a bit disappointed. The experience does not work as you would think, as the game listings simply take you to the Play Store to download them. After they have been downloaded, they can then only be launched via the Netflix app which feels extremely convoluted.
It’s likely that this will end up changing after the feature is put through its paces for more than just a few hours. Originally, expectations were that the Netflix app would act as a third-party game store, providing games that you can stream without needing to download them. But that doesn’t seem to be the case at this point.
Notably, the two games that are available with this release have already been available through the Play Store for some time now. These are “Stranger Things 1984” and “Stranger Things 3“, which were developed in conjunction with the release of seasons two and three of the show.
Nevertheless, if you’re a Netflix subscriber and are always looking for new ways to enjoy mobile games, it could only be a matter of time before this arrives. According to @NetflixGeeked, the experience promises the following:
- No ads
- No in-app purchases
- Games included with your Netflix membership
After seeing the popularity of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming skyrocket in recent months, and Stadia is even doing pretty well for itself (for now at least), Netflix is looking to make some moves. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and if we end up with the game streaming service that was expected, or if this awkward game-launcher will be sticking around.