Netflix gets into video game streaming - this could be huge

Netflix has revealed more about its gaming plans - and it's set to change the way we use the site forever.

Netflix already provides a variety of games on its site, but these are strictly for use on mobile and the service acts like an app store, as you have to download the games before you play them.

While Netflix allows you to do this in a rather slick way, there was always an obvious next step: the movie and show streaming service could and should get into streaming games.

This is indeed its plans, with Netflix revealing that it is to trial game streaming in both Canada and the UK.

"We are rolling out a limited beta test to a small number of members in Canada and the UK on select TVs starting today, and on PCs and Macs through Netflix.com on supported browsers in the next few weeks," it said in a statement.

There will be two games available during this testing phase. They are: Oxenfree (an adventure game) and Molehew’s Mining Adventure (a gem-mining arcade game).

If you are going to play the games on the TV, then you will be able to do so by the phone app controller that broke cover just last week. Those who are playing the games on PC and Mac will need to go through Netflix.com and can play with a keyboard and mouse.

While this is a small test initially, the repercussions are massive. This brings Netflix gaming away from them mobile an on to many more devices, including: Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart ONN.

It's been two years since Netflix revealed it was getting into mobile gaming. In that time it has added more and more titles. This is different, though. If successful this will give its subscribers full-fat games to stream, as well as the TV and movie options it already has.

With the streaming world currently battling subscribers this could well be what Netflix needs to give it a USP.

We would bet that other streamers are looking into this, however. Disney Plus is currently going through some big changes, snipping away titles and figuring out how to make money from its service.

Interestingly, before Disney Plus arrived in the UK, there was the app DisneyLife. DisneyLife offered old movies and shows, e-books, music and... you've guessed it, games. Could this be a way for it to increase its user base?

We're sure it will be looking at this latest Netflix test with interest...

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