Netflix Makes Video Games Available to Play on TVs; Adds Pictionary: Game Night, and More

Netflix now allows subscribers to play games on their smart TVs. The feature, which has been in development since early 2023, allows users to play titles like Pictionary: Game Night, Boggle Party, and Tetris Time Warp. These games can be accessed via the Games tab available on the Netflix TV app. The games can be played in groups, and subscribers can use their phones as controllers. The latest initiative is part of Netflix's strategy to expand beyond movies and TV shows. The streaming company has offered games for the past few years, but they were limited to mobile devices.

Netflix Games on Smart TVs Rely on Phone Controller App

Netflix says that the streaming service has introduced support for gaming on smart TVs with the latest update to the app. This means that Netflix subscribers can now play various titles on their TVs, using their phones as controllers. Users can select a game by scrolling to the Games tab within the Netflix app on their smart TV.

The first batch of games in the Netflix app include Lego Party!, Pictionary: Game Night, Boggle Party, Tetris Time Warp, and Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends. These titles support multiple players, which make them ideal for playing with a group.

Up to eight players can play Boggle Party. It involves finding words in a jumbled-up letter grid. The Lego Party includes mini-games and lets gamers hunt for gold through themed Challenge Zones.

The Pictionary: Game Night is like a classic drawing game, which is also available in a more popular physical format. The Tetris Time Warp involves time travel with friends in the Tetris history and aims for the high score across eras. Finally, the Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends lets you spot one player who's faking it based on odd clues.

Netflix has been in the gaming space for four years. The games were previously only available on mobile devices. The company released the Netflix Game Controller app for iOS back in 2023, allowing users to use their phones to play games on a TV screen.