Netflix launches a game controller app for playing games on your TV | TechCrunch
techcrunch.com
external-link
After last fall signaling its intentions to expand into cloud gaming, Netflix today launched a new app that will soon allow subscribers to play games on their TV. The app, dubbed “Netflix Game Controller,” lets you use your phone as a controller after pairing it with your TV in order to play the games available […]
CynicalStoic
link
fedilink
21Y

I do find it interesting how far ahead of its time the GameCube controller is though. It was almost a precursor for mobile button layout with the large A and other buttons around it in a non-traditional form/layout. That’s what immediately came to mind when seeing the controller layouts.

I’m not a huge fan of cloud gaming but Netflix may be on to something here by having games be added value to a sub rather than a discrete service with a separate sub. Plus from my experience, it’s not like the apps are streamed to your device but are available for download with an active sub.

DreamButt
link
fedilink
English
131Y

Netflix thinks it’s still relevant lol

Rikudou_Sage
link
fedilink
English
171Y

Using your phone as a controller for your TV sounds extremely stupid.

Scrubbles
link
fedilink
English
61Y

I mean yeah if you’re playing the witcher, but if they are games like Jackbox style then it makes complete sense.

Granted Netflix has burned me too many times so I won’t be resubscribing for this.

Carighan Maconar
link
fedilink
English
11
edit-2
1Y

Honestly it depends on the game. If it’s a purely mouse-controlled game like a point&click, why not use the phone as a trackpad so you can game on the far larger screen?

Sure it’s a bit silly, but even if we have controllers around the home few of us have trackpads like a Steam Controller, nevermind a whole lapboard.

Rikudou_Sage
link
fedilink
English
-11Y

I still disagree. If you have to constantly look away from the screen to look at your controller, the experience is suboptimal.

@[email protected]
link
fedilink
English
11Y

trackpad

@[email protected]
link
fedilink
English
41Y

Mobile gaming is usually organized so that you don’t have to look closely at the spot you’re touching; for instance, movement would involve pressing on any spot left of the middle of the screen, then dragging forward.

If they get even more space because players are usually looking away from that controller screen, there’s a few more options at work. I’ve played a few very well-made phone games, usually the issue is just that they’re gacha junk.

Rikudou_Sage
link
fedilink
English
11Y

This is not the case, though. This article is about the phone serving as a controller for the TV.

@[email protected]
link
fedilink
English
21Y

Yeah, but for mobile games you look at your phone while pressing the buttons shown in the same place.

In this case you play looking at your tv, while pressing button in your phone, which will be horrible because you can’t feel where’s each button without looking away from tv

Nix
link
fedilink
English
41Y

It would also work fine for 2D platformers

Its_Always_420
link
fedilink
English
71Y

So does playing games on Netflix.

@[email protected]
link
fedilink
English
11Y

Why would it be bad? Its just cloud streaming.

Metal Zealot
link
fedilink
English
151Y

They looked at Stadia and thought:

“How can we make this worse?”

@[email protected]
link
fedilink
English
11Y

deleted by creator

Create a post

Welcome to the largest gaming community on Lemmy! Discussion for all kinds of games. Video games, tabletop games, card games etc.

Weekly Threads:

What Are You Playing?

The Weekly Discussion Topic

Rules:

  1. Submissions have to be related to games

  2. No bigotry or harassment, be civil

  3. No excessive self-promotion

  4. Stay on-topic; no memes, funny videos, giveaways, reposts, or low-effort posts

  5. Mark Spoilers and NSFW

  6. No linking to piracy

More information about the community rules can be found here.

  • 1 user online
  • 47 users / day
  • 493 users / week
  • 1.97K users / month
  • 6.4K users / 6 months
  • 1 subscriber
  • 4.99K Posts
  • 103K Comments
  • Modlog