Remember back in January when Netflix said it would roll out party and couch co-op games on your TV ‘in the future’? Well, that future is finally here, kinda. The streaming giant’s co-CEO, Gregory Peters, has announced what the first of those titles will be and that they’re coming for the holiday season during the recent Bloomberg Screentime conference.
“We’re creating a completely new way to play games — one that’s as easy as streaming a show on a Friday night,” said Netflix in its announcement post.
You’ll need a Netflix sub, and some friends
There will be five party games initially available: LEGO Party!, Boggle Party, Pictionary: Game Night, Tetris Time Warp, and Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends. Between them, you’re in for a mix of time trials, mini games, and the kind of hilarity that can only come from a bunch of friends laughing at something dumb together.
When it eventually becomes widely available, you should be able to find these titles under the ‘Games’ tab in the Netflix app on your TV. To play the games, you’ll need to scan a QR code on the TV with your smartphone, which will become your controller.
There are some caveats, however. Firstly, Netflix’s new cloud game streaming will be rolling out slowly, so it might still be a while before we’re able to join in on the fun here in SA. Secondly, when it is eventually available here, it might only work on certain TVs.
Considering the almost year-long gap between the first mention of party games to now, you’d be forgiven for thinking Netflix had cooled off on its gaming ambitions. Back in June, the streamer announced that it would be removing some of the titles in its catalogue, including the popular Hades.
If you’d rather not wait for Netflix to bring its party games here, there are plenty of alternatives to keep you and your friends busy, or put your relationships to the test, whatever the mood calls for. We’ve listed six great games here, some of which are totally free, and all of which only require a smartphone. Okay, you’ll need some friends too.
