Netflix is taking interactivity to the next level by adding games directly to its smart TV app. Subscribers can now launch family and party games like Boggle, Tetris, and Lego Party right from their TV, using their smartphone as a controller.
The company started with mobile games that could be downloaded for free with an active subscription. Projects like mobile Grand Theft Auto gained the most popularity, but even they didn't drive new subscriptions—and that, according to Netflix, isn't the goal of the gaming division.
According to Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters, the focus has now shifted to social, interactive formats:
"We're going beyond mobile devices. One of our goals is to create a series of games that can be launched directly on TV, using the phone as an intuitive remote. It's a simple and natural form of interaction."
The game set includes Boggle, Pictionary, Lego Party, Tetris, and a mafia-like detective game. Peters noted that touch controls offer more possibilities than standard gamepads, and developers are already exploring new ways to interact with players.
All games, as on mobile devices, are free for Netflix subscribers.
