Following the shutdown of its cloud gaming service Stadia earlier this year, Google appears to be exploring a potential gaming revival through its subsidiary, YouTube. Reports suggest that YouTube is currently testing a new online gaming offering named “Playables,” which would enable users to play games directly on the YouTube website or via the YouTube app on iOS and Android devices.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Playables would introduce arcade-style games to the platform, with titles such as “Stack Bounce” being mentioned. In this game, players utilize a bouncing ball to smash through layers of bricks, reminiscent of the classic Atari game Breakout.
While Google has not confirmed the experiment, a company spokesperson told TechCrunch, acknowledging YouTube’s focus on gaming and stating, “We’re always experimenting with new features but have nothing to announce right now.”
The potential development of Playables aligns with Google’s previous indication that the technology behind Stadia could be applied across other parts of the company, including YouTube, Google Play, and augmented reality (AR) efforts. Reusing the code developed for Stadia in this new gaming initiative on YouTube seems plausible.
Stadia, launched in 2019, aimed to allow users to play games directly from the cloud, eliminating the need for game downloads or consoles. It featured a unique integration with YouTube called Crowd Choice, where creators could live stream games on Stadia and engage viewers through interactive polls in the chat section. However, despite these efforts, Stadia struggled to gain traction and eventually shut down earlier this year.
The testing of Playables on YouTube suggests that the company sees potential in combining gaming and video content on its platform. While YouTube already boasts an extensive library of gaming-related content, including live streams and prerecorded videos, its previous standalone app dedicated to gaming, called YouTube Gaming, was discontinued due to brand confusion.
It is worth noting that other social media companies have recently scaled back their investments in gaming. ByteDance reportedly downsized its gaming operations, and Snap announced reduced game investment. However, Netflix continues to explore gaming by offering games for free with subscriptions and working on its own cloud game streaming service.
Monetization strategies for Playables on YouTube have not been disclosed yet. However, given that attention is a crucial aspect of YouTube’s success, incorporating interactive games into the platform could provide new opportunities for user engagement and revenue generation.
