Netflix will let you use your iPhone as a game controller
Netflix is working on a system that allows the iPhone to be used as a game controller for TV games.
The streaming giant has been making major strides in the gaming space in recent years, but so far, all of its games have been focused on mobile gaming. Current Netflix games can only be played on an iOS or Android device.
One easy way to fill the living room gaming gap would be to simply bring the games in bulk to your TV and let you use your mobile device as a controller. That’s exactly what the company is working on, according to a recently published Bloomberg report.
Contributor Steve Moser has posted a code from the Netflix iOS app that asks, “Your TV requires a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?” It seems clear that in the not too distant future you will be able to play your Netflix games on a smart TV using your iPhone as a Netflix game controller.
Netflix wants to make games playable on any device by turning your iPhone into a controller for Netflix running on your TV. Code hidden in their iOS app: “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
If you’re wondering how Netflix can bring said games to your smart TV or streaming box, most of which don’t have Apple TV 4K processing capabilities, then the company’s recent craze for cloud gaming might be key.
Netflix recently stated that “cloud gaming will allow us to provide easy access to games on any screen, hassle-free and provide access to gaming experiences.”
Back in October, Netflix announced that it wanted to launch a cloud gaming service to expand its reach beyond mobile into “other devices people use Netflix on.”
At the time, there were discussions about whether this meant that Netflix would release its own Bluetooth controller or simply support existing models. Of course, not every Netflix subscriber owns a gaming device, but let’s hazard a guess that every Netflix subscriber (or at least the vast majority) owns a smartphone.
Of course, if the company plans to branch out into more ambitious console games, as rumor has it, then the touch interface won’t help. But for bringing the existing mobile gaming offering to the big screen, it would make a lot of sense.
