YouTube Testing Games on Mobile, Desktop
Updated: Dec 18, 2023
You might soon be able to play games in between binging online videos on YouTube.
The video sharing giant is testing a new feature that would add games directly on the platform via the new "Playables" section that appears on the home feed.
Don't expect to play something like, say, Starfield, though as the games here lean more towards bite-sized experiences like the web games you'd find on Miniclip, for example. The games can be played on desktop and mobile, though right now, the feature is only available to a limited number of testers.
"If you’re part of this experiment, you’ll see a section on YouTube called 'Playables' that will appear alongside other content on the home feed," wrote YouTube in a Community post. "We’re testing this with a limited number of users to start."
The Google-owned company also said that your game progress and play history is saved on your YouTube history, which you can view and control.
YouTube, however, has yet to share the full list of games that'll be available to play. But according to 9to5Google, one of the games you can check out during this current test phase is called Stack Bounce, a game where you smash through rings as a ball by clicking your mouse. Stack Bounce is also available to play on Google’s GameSnacks, a dedicated platform that makes these sorts of games accessible on low memory devices.
YouTube isn't the only video platform that's leaning towards gaming. Netflix has been taking major steps in becoming a key player in the games industry, while TikTok has similarly been testing in-app minigames on its own platform.
Apart from games, YouTube is also exploring a new way to deliver ads on its app for smart TVs, set-top boxes and game consoles. Instead of running a lot of short ads, it wants to have longer ad breaks but less of them on the aforementioned devices. The approach, which it calls connected TV or CTV experiences, is meant to better align your viewing experience to where you're watching YouTube.
YouTube is testing a new feature that would add games directly on the platform via the new "Playables" section that appears on the home feed.
The games available lean more towards bite-sized experiences like the web games you'd find on Miniclip, for example and are playable on desktop and mobile.
Right now, however, the feature is only available to a limited number of testers.
YouTube is also experimenting with the idea of running longer but fewer ads on its app for smart TVs, set-top boxes and game consoles. We discussed the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it would affect our work and daily lives with Jan F. Morgenthal, Chief Digital Officer at M1 Limited.