It appears that Netflix may have started work on bringing gaming to TV. As to who discovered this, you can thank developer Steve Moser, the Editor-in-Chief at The Tape Drive and also happens to be a contributing writer to MacRumors.
Sharing his story with Bloomberg (heads up, paywall), Moser reportedly discovered a hidden code on the Netflix app, referencing games being played on the TV. For that matter, Moser also discovered additional code that would allow subscribers to play said TV games by using their phones as controllers.
Netflix wants to make games playable on every device by turning your iPhone into a controller for Netflix running on a TV. Code hidden in their iOS app: "A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?" $NFLX cloud gaming soon? https://t.co/ZPl5gyoKkQ pic.twitter.com/ilpSJjcxBG
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) March 30, 2023
One line from within the Netflix app read “A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?” which is clearly a notification that you’d see as a pop-up or prompt on an app. To date, Moser’s discoveries have often been accurate; prior to this, he also found hints that the streaming service’s then-upcoming ad-supported plan may not support offline viewing, which turned out to be true.
In Netflix’s case, the streaming service has already been making games available on both Android and iOS since 2021. They’re not just any run-of-the-mill titles either – many of the games on its list are popular titles on the major platforms and consoles, and all that is needed for consumers to access them is to maintain an active subscription on the app. On that note, the company plans on launching 40 more titles this year.
One reason behind Netflix’s increased focus on releasing more games on its app is its financial situation. The streaming service struggled to maintain subscribers all of last year, having lost close to two million of them during the second quarter of 2022.
It should be noted that while the hidden code to TV gaming with mobile phones as controller may currently be there, it still isn’t a guarantee that Netflix is actually going to bring gaming to the TV. But, having said that, it is unlikely that the company will back out of this endeavour at this stage.
