Netflix Brings Party Games to Your TV

Netflix is turning your living room into a gaming zone. Starting this holiday season, subscribers will be able to play a new lineup of party games directly on their TVs, using their phones as controllers. The idea is simple: just like streaming a show, you’ll be able to open the Netflix app, scroll to the Games tab, pick a title, and start playing with friends and family.

This is the company’s biggest step yet toward bringing games to the big screen. It’s also Netflix’s first serious push beyond mobile gaming, which began in 2021. You don’t need any extra hardware, just a Netflix subscription and a smartphone, whether it’s an iPhone or Android device.

The Five New Party Games

Netflix’s first batch of living room titles is designed entirely for group fun. Here’s what’s coming:

• LEGO Party! – Compete with friends in themed Challenge Zones filled with funny minigames and a hunt for gold.
• Boggle Party – Find as many words as you can in a jumbled grid before time runs out. You can play solo or with up to eight players.
• Pictionary: Game Night – A fast-paced drawing and guessing game based on Mattel’s classic party title.
• Tetris Time Warp – Travel through different eras of Tetris, from the 1984 original to the Game Boy version, and aim for the top score.
• Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends – One player has no idea what’s going on, and the rest must figure out who the clueless “crasher” is.

These games will be free for all Netflix subscribers, even titles like LEGO Party! that would normally cost around $40 elsewhere.

How It Works

Players can join instantly using their phone. After selecting a game from the Netflix TV app, a QR code appears on the screen, scan it, and your phone becomes a controller. This setup makes it easy for everyone in the room to participate without needing consoles or separate controllers.

At launch, the new games will be available only on select TVs, including Roku-powered devices, and in certain countries. Netflix says it plans to expand availability over time.

Netflix’s Bigger Gaming Plan

Netflix first entered gaming in 2021 with mobile titles. But its ambitions go beyond phone screens. Earlier this year, the company scaled back its library, canceling some planned releases and removing about 20 older games, to focus on four categories: party games, kid-friendly titles, popular franchises like Grand Theft Auto, and games inspired by its own shows, such as Stranger Things.

Co-CEO Gregory Peters described this shift at Bloomberg’s Screentime conference, saying Netflix wants gaming to feel “as easy as streaming a show on a Friday night.” The move aligns with the company’s goal of keeping subscribers engaged across different types of entertainment.