YouTube is now diving into the gaming realm exclusively for its paying members. Premium users can now enjoy online games directly within the mobile or desktop app. Dubbed "YouTube Playables," this experimental feature was initially rolled out to a select group in September. Recently, YouTube notified Premium subscribers about Playables, inviting them to try it. Opting in grants access to 37 mini-games seamlessly integrated into YouTube—no downloads or installations required. Enjoy gaming without the hassle!

YouTube Playables Details

The game selection isn't too harsh or unconventional—YouTube's got crowd-pleasers like Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and many arcade games. But here's the catch—they might not stick around. YouTube Ad Free heads up says these games are up for grabs until March 28th, 2024. Premium peeps can dive into the entire game library under the "YouTube Playables" section in the Explore tab.

YouTube's jumping on the gaming bandwagon, following a trend of tech companies leaping, with varying success. Google ditched its Stadia service in January after years of anticipation. Just weeks ago, Amazon cut over 130 jobs in its free games division, opting for a "refocus." TikTok talked a big game about a "major push" in gaming in 2021, only for ByteDance to drop the bomb on Monday about laying off around 1,000 workers in its gaming unit.

What's the intake of tech giants?

Despite some hiccups, other tech giants still charge ahead into the gaming scene. Meta's been at it for about seven years with Instant Games. This month, they rolled out a new deal letting developers drop beta versions of their games straight on Facebook. Netflix is in the game, too, dropping mobile-exclusive games (with reviews all over the place) and eyeing a move into cloud gaming. But don't hold your breath—YouTube Playables might be a bit before they're up for grabs by the public. The gaming arena is buzzing with activity!

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