Netflix Expands TV Gaming and Social Play as It Pushes to Keep Subscribers Engaged
Netflix is taking its boldest step yet into gaming as it works to transform itself from a streaming platform into a full-scale entertainment ecosystem. The company has unveiled a new suite of interactive games that can be played directly on televisions, using smartphones as controllers – a move executives say marks the beginning of a long-term strategy to fuse watching, playing, and social interaction.
“This is just the beginning,” said Alain Tascan, Netflix’s vice president of games, noting that some of Netflix’s biggest wins have come from “taking creative risks.” Tascan, a former Epic Games executive, said the goal is to make gaming feel “as natural and accessible as pressing play on a movie.”
The rollout, showcased at a demonstration at Netflix’s Hollywood headquarters, includes reimagined party classics such as Pictionary, Boggle Party, Tetris Time Warp, Party Crashers, and Lego Party. Players simply launch a game on their TV, scan a QR code, and use their phone as a controller through Netflix’s dedicated mobile app. Future additions include Netflix Puzzled, a daily puzzle hub with sudoku, crosswords and word searches inspired by the streamer’s most popular shows.
Executives insist the company is not trying to compete with consoles but instead carve out a new space in social gaming built around shared living-room experiences. Co-CEO Greg Peters recently described Netflix’s earlier gaming efforts as a “B-minus,” but said the new TV-based platform shifts the service toward communal entertainment rather than isolated mobile play.
Experts say the move could redefine at-home gaming. Dmitri Williams, a professor at the University of Southern California, told NBC News that Netflix didn’t invent the concept — but has the scale to make it mainstream. “They have the brand and infrastructure to push it into millions of living rooms,” he said. “It’s the Apple model — they perfect a good idea by making it ubiquitous.”
Netflix is also leaning on its extensive catalogue to build momentum. New titles tied to its franchises include Peppa Pig: Play with Peppa, The Queen’s Gambit Chess, and an interactive drama inspired by Love Is Blind. Beyond in-house creations, the platform will support major third-party titles such as Civilization VI and the upcoming mobile version of Red Dead Redemption, complete with the Undead Nightmare expansion.
The company’s journey toward interactive content began with early experiments like a Stranger Things mobile game and evolved with Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, the 2018 choose-your-own-story film that became a cultural moment.
Now, with a vast library of original IP and a global subscriber base already used to on-demand engagement, analysts say Netflix is uniquely positioned. “No other tech company can deliver that kind of integrated experience,” Williams said.
