That means making its games available everywhere—on your computer, TV, and smartphones. It’s been slow to make that a reality, focusing primarily on the mobile scene while it develops the expansion in the background. Small, localised beta tests are already underway worldwide. But now it seems Netflix will continue to invest in the ‘cloud gaming’ gambit, according to the streamer’s most recent Q4 2024 financial results.

You got games on your… TV?

“Going forward, we’re focusing on offering best-in-class titles in a few key genres including immersive, narrative games based on our IP, socially engaging party games, games for kids and mainstream established titles (like Grand Theft Auto),” it said. “While we started in mobile, our goal is to make our games accessible on all device types over time and in 2025 we’ll continue to test and expand our offering of cloud games on TV.”

Aggressively targeting “narrative games” based on Netflix’s IP in the gaming space seems like a no-brainer, but it’s the company’s comments deciding to pursue party titles that interest us most. In the company’s most recent official earnings transcript, co-CEO Gregory Peters mentions that:

“We’ll also be introducing party and couch co-op games on TV delivered from the cloud. We think of this as a successor to family board game night or an evolution of what the game show on TV used to be. So we’re excited about delivering some cool experiences in that space.”

Read More: Price hikes on the way for Netflix’s US subscribers, South Africa still in the dark

Online party games would certainly prove to be a boon for the subscriber base, especially if Netflix can deliver something in the same vein as Nintendo’s Mario Party or, more likely, the Jackbox Games series if indeed that is the route they’re taking. Earlier tests of the cloud gaming idea showed that Netflix was working on a way to allow customers to use their smartphones as a controller when playing on TV.

Netflix didn’t exactly say when subscribers may see a more public rollout of this feature, but this being the first update on the subject since 2023, plus the confirmation that it would continue to invest in the area, indicates to us that Netflix has something ready to release sooner, rather than later.

The post Netflix confirms it’s still working on bringing cloud gaming to TV, hints at party games appeared first on Stuff South Africa.

X marks the Box

Subscribers to the most expensive Game Pass tier will have access to Microsoft’s massive library of games (as long as they pay their bills), like the new Indy game, Starfield, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. But arguably the best bit is the ability to stream purchased games, regardless of their availability on the catalogue or not. Unfortunately, only around 50 titles are supported thus far – including Balatro and Hades.

We’re not quite sure why that is, considering Ultimate’s giant library of games which can be streamed whether you bought them or not, Microsoft reckons the list of streamable purchased games will grow throughout the year, so keep your eyes out. The largest caveat you’ll have to contend with is the lack of stream support for your physical collection. It’s all digital, baby.

Read More: Xbox’s first AI function is a tech-support chatbot from the future

As for the specific LG TV you’ll need? Microsoft hasn’t divulged any specifics at this point, with only a brief mention that gamers can play Xbox games on “supported LG Smart TVs”. We’re guessing LG’s gaming-centric range of TVs – the C and G models – will be included, but beyond that, we’ll need more info from Xbox and LG.

Currently, Microsoft does not support Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming infrastructure in South Africa, but there’s always a possibility it’ll look to change that in the coming months considering Microsoft’s massive push into the cloud gaming space. We’ve since reached out to LG South Africa with the hopes of confirming the feature’s launch locally and will update you once we know more.

The post Xbox’s cloud streaming ambitions will extend to LG TVs later this year  appeared first on Stuff South Africa.

Not dead yet

That’s what the folks over at Windows Central have heard, at least. The idea, it seems, would be to introduce a cloud-based version of the subscription that would be cheaper and generally more “approachable” than Game Pass Ultimate. There are also “very tentative” rumours that the Game Pass Friends and Family Plan isn’t dead in the water just yet, despite Xbox pulling it a year ago.

And of course, there are murmurs that Xbox has done some digging into how an ad-based tier would work, to potentially target those customers who can’t quite justify a more expensive tier, though the report mentions that Xbox “isn’t currently actively working towards an ad-based Xbox Game Pass tier.” All we hear is ‘never say never’.

But a cloud- and family-based Game Pass? Both seem like they’d be right up Xbox’s alley – at the right price.

Currently, the only way to get in on Xbox’s current cloud-based infrastructure is through a Game Pass Ultimate subscription (in the US) – the most expensive one there is. For those people who don’t want to deal with the upfront costs of an Xbox Series X/S – or are simply happy with a competing console – a cloud-based solution seems like a no-brainer.

Read More: Microsoft makes some big changes to Game Pass – including a massive price hike

The service would also allow subscribers of the cheaper cloud tier to “double dip by offering digital ownership of games within the service,” unlike the current model popularised by Spotify and Netflix.

If Xbox ever allowed the return of the Family and Friends plan, it would likely come at a hefty price. Windows Central reckons the plan initially ‘failed’ in those territories it was trialled in for being too good. Publishers reportedly took issue with the tier being too generous at $25/m (R200/m).

A year later, and R200/m is enough to get players a single Ultimate subscription and… that’s about it. Should Xbox commit to bringing back the Family Plan wholly, we expect to see a revised price around the R500-R600/m mark, to cover the four additional licences.

Source

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