No console needed: Netflix launches new gaming feature for smart TVs; here’s what you need to know
Netflix has launched a new gaming feature allowing subscribers to play select games on their smart TVs using their phones as controllers, expanding beyond its mobile gaming library. Available on compatible smart TV platforms including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung, and LG, the new setup offers an easy, no-setup experience described by Netflix as "as easy as streaming."
The feature introduces a dedicated "Games" tab within the Netflix app on TV, where users can select games such as LEGO Party!, Boggle Party (supporting up to eight players), Pictionary: Game Night, Tetris Time Warp, and Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends. These games are designed for social and party gameplay, aiming to provide casual, fun entertainment directly through the TV screen.
Here are the games which users will be able to play on their TV:
- Boggle Party- Available now
- Lego Party- Available now
- Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends- Available now
- Pictionary: Game Night- Available now
- Tetris Time Wrap- Available now
- Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game- Coming soon
Netflix also revealed a new set of games which are going to come to mobile:
- WWE2K25- Coming soon
- Red Dead Redemption- Coming soon
- Lego Duplo World- Available now
- Barbie Color Creations- Available now
- Toca Boca Hair Salon 4- Available now
- PAW Patrol Academy- Coming soon
- Best Guess Live- Coming soon (available in the US)
To play, Netflix users simply scan a QR code shown on the TV screen with their smartphone, which acts as the game controller, enabling multiplayer interaction without additional hardware or complex setup. This approach leverages familiar devices, making gaming more accessible and convenient for a wide audience.
Launching in select markets in beta, Netflix plans to expand the availability and library of TV games, aiming to blend streaming and gaming into a seamless, family-friendly entertainment experience.