Netflix tests ‘game handles’ in select mobile titles amid development of social gaming features

techcrunch.com:

Netflix is developing features that would allow members to play its mobile games with one another and competitively rank themselves on gaming leaderboards. The company, starting last month, quietly launched the ability for users to create unique “game handles” in a subset of its mobile games, including “Into The Breach,” followed by “Bowling Ballers,” “Mahjong Solitaire” and “Heads Up!.” In addition, references uncovered in the Netflix app point to expanded gaming ambitions, including the ability to invite other users to play games with you and a feature that would let you see where you rank on leaderboards, among other things.

The company confirmed it’s exploring various gaming features in a statement provided to TechCrunch, but couldn’t speak to which features, beyond game handles, would be publicly rolled out to users or when that would occur.

“We are always looking to improve our member’s experience on the service, and are exploring different features to enrich the Netflix mobile games experience,” Netflix spokesperson Kumiko Hidaka said. “We don’t have anything else to share at this time.”

The additions suggest Netflix is looking towards a future that isn’t just about making mobile games available to its subscribers, but one that encourages members to participate in gaming by playing with others. The news follows the recent reveal that Netflix has been hiring engineers and product managers with backgrounds in cloud gaming.

Netflix explores cloud gaming as it looks for new hires

According to the findings, first discovered by developer Steve Moser, Netflix is allowing users to set up something called a “game handle” which is described as “a unique public name for playing games on Netflix.”

Netflix first began its tests of