Introduction
YouTube, the popular video platform, is making a modest push into the world of gaming with its rollout of more than 30 mini-games.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube’s Gaming Initiative: YouTube is branching out into games for its paid subscribers with a feature known as “Playables.”
- The Games on Offer: The selection includes popular games like Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and a number of arcade games.
- Availability and Access: The games are available until March 28th, 2024, and can be found under the “Playables” section in the Explore tab.
- Tech Companies and Gaming: YouTube joins a long list of non-gaming tech companies trying to expand into games.
- YouTube’s Strategy: The introduction of Playables is seen as a way to enhance the value proposition for its paid subscribers.
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
YouTube’s Gaming Initiative
YouTube is branching out into games, specifically for its paid subscribers. The platform is giving Premium users access to a set of online games that can be directly played on either the mobile app or desktop app. This new feature, known as “Playables,” was first debuted to select users in September.
The Games on Offer
The selection of games isn’t too challenging or “out there” — they include crowd-pleasers like Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and a number of arcade games. These games effectively live inside YouTube, eliminating the need to download or install them.
Availability and Access
The games would be available until March 28th, 2024. For now, Premium members can find the full library of games under the “Playables” section in the Explore tab.
Tech Companies and Gaming
YouTube joins a long list of non-gaming tech companies that are trying to expand into games — often with mixed results. Despite the less than stellar track record of other tech companies, YouTube is pushing forward into gaming.
YouTube’s Strategy
YouTube’s Playables seems less of an appeal to serious gamers than a way to sweeten the pot for its paid subscribers. The company raised the price of its Premium plan by $2 this summer, and there have been similar streaming subscription price increases by Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and others. While it’s hard to imagine someone explicitly signing up for YouTube Premium solely for the Playables games, they may convince some on-the-fence users to stay for longer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, YouTube’s venture into gaming is an interesting development that could potentially enhance the value proposition of its Premium subscription. It remains to be seen how this initiative will be received by users and whether it will have a significant impact on subscription numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is YouTube’s new gaming initiative? YouTube is giving Premium users access to a set of online games that can be directly played on either the mobile app or desktop app. This new feature is known as “Playables.”
Q2: What types of games are included in YouTube’s Playables? The selection includes popular games like Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and a number of arcade games.
Q3: How can I access these games on YouTube? Premium members can find the full library of games under the “Playables” section in the Explore tab.
Q4: Until when are these games available? The games are available until March 28th, 2024.
Q5: Why is YouTube introducing these games? The introduction of Playables is seen as a way to enhance the value proposition for its paid subscribers, especially after recent price increases. While it’s hard to imagine someone explicitly signing up for YouTube Premium solely for the Playables games, they may convince some on-the-fence users to stay for longer.