YouTube is broadening its gaming endeavors by granting its Premium subscribers access to an assortment of browser-based mini-games. Following a period of beta testing that commenced in September, the company has begun informing Premium members that they now have the opportunity to engage in more than 30 mini-games.
This gaming initiative allows users to instantly play games without any downloads. The platform supports gaming across devices, including Android, iOS, and desktops.
To dive into the mini-game experience, YouTube Premium users can either scroll through the Home feed to find the “Playables” shelf or locate the “Playables” link in the Explore menu across both mobile and desktop interfaces. The available gaming lineup is quite diverse, with selections ranging from Daily Solitaire and The Daily Crossword to Angry Birds Showdown and the cerebral challenge of Brain Out.
However, it's worth noting that this library of games is only accessible through March 28, suggesting that YouTube could be evaluating user engagement before making a permanent decision on the feature. The presence of such games might also serve to soften the recent subscription price increase for Premium users, which now stands at $13.99 per month.
YouTube's foray into offering games echoes similar explorations by other companies not originally in the gaming industry. Netflix, for instance, has been progressively accumulating a gaming portfolio, now boasting over 70 games, and is even venturing into the realm of cloud gaming. Similarly, TikTok has experimented with HTML5 mini-games in collaboration with developers, but its parent company, ByteDance, appears to have dialed down its gaming ambitions amidst significant cutbacks in its gaming departments.
Gaming aside, YouTube Premium subscribers also have access to novel generative AI features, such as an AI tool that responds to queries about YouTube's content and a new feature that synthesizes key points from video comments.
Additional perks for Premium members were also rolled out this month. YouTube enhanced the streaming quality of its 1080p HD videos on more devices, made it possible to shift viewing sessions seamlessly from one device to another, introduced celebratory badges for user milestones, and presented new exclusive offers on the Premium benefits page.