YouTube Playables kickstarts the streaming giant’s experimental foray into online gaming for a limited audience. Here are the details.
Before you jump over to the YouTube app on your phone to explore Playables, take a deep breath and make a few notes. No, it’s not related to Google’s now-dead gaming service that we fondly (or not so fondly) remember as Stadia. YouTube Playables, just like Netflix Games, is available only within the YouTube app and the similarities to the rival video streaming service don’t end there.
Being looked at as YouTube’s attempt to experiment with the online gaming industry, Playables is available with a Premium subscription and only has a few months to prove its worth to the whimsical minds behind Google who, as we’ve seen before, don’t hesitate before pulling the plug on ambitious projects.
Gaming is one of the hottest categories in the entertainment industry right now and if you have the ability (and the teams) to create immersive, captivating games, the cash registers are going to be busy. As an example, take a look at Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto Online which keeps minting money despite its age.
The COVID-19 pandemic, while devastating to most industries, ended up boosting the video game industry – with everyone being home, gaming consoles saw unprecedented usage. Tech giants have been looking to capitalise on this boost and gain a larger market share. However, poor implementation often results in losses, a point that was perfectly illustrated by Stadia, Google’s cloud gaming service that withered and died within three years of its launch.
Stadia’s failure gave Google’s competitors important insight. They decided to stick to the realms of mobile gaming considering its (relatively) lower development and maintenance costs. Amazon and Netflix have been trying their best to make a dent in the online gaming industry, with YouTube’s Playables being the newest entrant in this field.
So, let’s check out everything that Playables has to offer.
Playable games on YouTube: What’s it like?
In essence, YouTube Playbles is no different than the online gaming service available on Netflix, wherein the concept is to provide certain easy-to-play online games for kids and adults and as a result, make them spend more time within the YouTube app. Just like Netflix Games, you don’t need to install or download any of these games on your mobile devices or PC. Hence, issues like device compatibility and distribution disappear and the only core requirement is a reliable internet connection.
At its launch, YouTube said that there are close to 30 mini-games for players to try out and all of them are fairly easy to play. Some of these titles include Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword and a couple of other arcade games. If you were expecting to see more graphically intensive games like Asphalt 9: Legends or Fortnite, you are going to be disappointed.
However, YouTube’s in-app gaming service isn’t available to everyone.
At launch, Playables is only available to YouTube Premium subscribers and can be accessed from within the menus of the app as well as the website. Moreover, this is an experimental venture that will only be accessible until 28 March 2024, unless Google deems the service profitable and decides to keep it afloat for a few more months.
Great to see Phaser games as YouTube Playables. Worked flawlessly, nice integration (only tested on desktop) pic.twitter.com/hzuNHgWmV5
— threads.net/@photonstorming (@photonstorm) November 27, 2023
Should you get a YouTube Premium subscription for Playables?
The YouTube Premium membership offers a lot of benefits at a nominal monthly fee and Playables only seems to be adding to its value.
At first glance, it seems like Playables is more of a feature that will help retain Premium subscribers rather than draw in new ones. You can find similar and arguably better versions of these games on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store without having to pay any subscription fee.
Hence, you can buy a subscription to YouTube Premium for all the other benefits it has to offer and not necessarily for Playables alone.
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Onur Binay via Unsplash)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– How can I access YouTube Playables?
Playables can be accessed either through YouTube on your browser or through the YouTube app on Android/iOS.
– How many games are available on YouTube?
There are 30 mini-games available on YouTube Playables.
This article orignally appeared on Augustman Singapore.
Amritanshu lives and breathes tech, cars, Formula 1, space stuff and everything that delivers an adrenaline rush. Since 2016, he converted his favorite hobby of going all gaga over iPhones and Lamborghinis into his profession; hence, you aren’t likely to be surprised upon checking his browser history. In his spare time, he loves to drive and explore food joints, but will somehow end up with a plate of Chicken Biryani and a big smile. He has previously written for Hindustan Times, India Today, BGR.in, and Deccan Chronicle.
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