In a world where user attention is increasingly competitive and attention spans are dwindling, media companies are exploring new ways to captivate their audiences. One significant trend has been the integration of games into streaming services and apps, a strategic move to retain users on their platforms. With the global gaming market valued at around $221 billion, it’s no surprise that these companies are eyeing gaming as a lucrative revenue stream.
Here’s a look at the latest companies venturing into the gaming scene, complete with details about their offerings, pricing, examples of titles, and supported devices.
Netflix Games
Image Credits: Netflix
Netflix has curated a diverse portfolio of nearly 100 games, featuring popular titles like GTA: The Trilogy, Assassin’s Creed, and Monument Valley. Leveraging its vast IP, Netflix boosts its library with games tied to its original series, including “Love Is Blind,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “Stranger Things.”
Netflix Games is available at no additional cost to subscribers of its streaming service, accessible via its mobile app on iOS and Android devices. Players can browse the game library and download their selections from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
Subscription plans include:
- Standard with ads: $6.99/month
- Standard: $15.49/month
- Premium: $22.99/month
Currently, there are no in-app purchases or ads within the games, but this could change in the future.
Netflix entered the gaming industry in 2021, and its offering has gained significant traction recently, with 81.2 million worldwide downloads across the App Store and Google Play Store in 2023. The company continues to innovate, experimenting with browser-based gaming, introducing gamer tags, and testing a cloud gaming service.
YouTube Playables
Image Credits: YouTube
YouTube, a go-to destination for gamers to livestream and create content about popular video games, officially integrated gaming features into its service in May 2024. “Playables,” YouTube’s gaming section, offers over 75 minigames, including popular titles like Angry Birds Showdown, Cut the Rope, Trivia Crack, and 8 Ball Billiards Classic.
Previously available only to Premium subscribers, these minigames are now free for all users on desktop, Android, and iOS devices, with no downloads required.
Sling TV Arcade
Image Credits: Sling
Facing stiff competition, DISH-owned Sling TV launched a free gaming platform called “Arcade” to attract and retain users. Arcade lets viewers play a variety of classic arcade games while watching their favorite TV shows or movies.
The current selection includes 10 titles such as Doodle Jump, Solitaire Clash, Tetris, and Wheel of Fortune. Sling TV has promised to add more titles regularly, particularly before major sporting events.
To access Arcade, viewers can press down on the player while watching content, click on “Interactive Features,” and select a game, which will appear as a split screen next to the content. There’s also an option to expand the game to full screen.
Arcade is available on Sling TV ($40-$45/month) and Sling Freestream, the company’s free ad-supported streaming service, but only on select devices: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Comcast, Samsung, and Vizio.
LinkedIn’s Foray into Gaming
Image Credits: LinkedIn.com under a license.
Gaming isn’t just for entertainment platforms. LinkedIn’s entry into gaming marks a significant expansion, positioning it as more than just a professional networking platform.
In May, LinkedIn launched three games: a Sudoku-style game called Queens, a trivia game named Crossclimb, and Pinpoint, similar to the New York Times’ Connections game. These games aim to foster connections within users’ networks and can be played with first-degree connections, meaning people you are directly connected with on LinkedIn. Each game can be played once a day.
As media companies continue to innovate and integrate gaming into their platforms, users have more options than ever to engage and stay entertained. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a seasoned pro, there’s something for everyone in these new offerings from Netflix, YouTube, Sling TV, and LinkedIn.
