Mobile game developer Steve Moser was the first to notice that Netflix was experimenting gamertag-like handles that players could create and publicly display when playing their selection of mobile games. As a result, users should be able to recognise other users based on their handles, invite them to join games, and check how they rank on leaderboards.
After upgrading my Netflix app and installing Into the Breach and Mahjong Solitaire, I was able to use the function firsthand. In both games, Netflix provided me the chance to establish and control the game handle connected to my own Netflix profile. Your game handle has to be distinct, just like when you create your gamertag (or public-facing username on any other gaming platform), and Netflix will verify this after you enter your preferred name.
When generating your handle for the first time, the in-app language states, “Your game handle is a unique public name for playing games on Netflix.” Other people won’t be able to see your profile icon or name (Emma). Your game handle is changeable at any moment.
You may use game handles to invite and play with other members by selecting the “Learn More” option from the menu. In order to provide a type of social experience within its games, it will also “display you where you are on leaderboards” and allow you to see whether certain individuals are online or not. It’s possible that this function isn’t currently accessible because when I experimented with the new feature, I didn’t see any options for viewing leaderboards or inviting friends.
The Verge received confirmation from Netflix representative Kumiko Hidaka that the company began using game handles in a few games last month. These games were Into the Breach, Bowling Ballers, Heads Up!, and Mahjong Solitaire. It’s unclear whether and when Netflix intends to add game handles to more of its games.
Hidaka continued, “We are constantly looking for ways to enhance our members’ experiences with the service and are investigating various features to enhance the Netflix mobile gaming experience. “At this moment, we have nothing additional to share,”
Games were originally introduced by Netflix in November, but they haven’t exactly taken off. According to data from app tracking company Apptopia, which was recently cited in a CNBC piece, just 1% of Netflix customers, or around 1.7 million users, engage with the service’s games on a daily basis.
Netflix has acquired Heads Up!, a game made popular by the Ellen Degeneres programme, and plans to have a total of 50 games in its collection by the end of 2022. Netflix’s games might play a bigger role as the company struggles to get its sagging subscriber count back on an upward trajectory, in addition to a new ad-supported tier and a potential crackdown on password sharing.
