I rarely check the top free apps chart because it rarely changes. Stephen Totilo at Game File pointed out a massive anomaly this week. The Netflix Game Controller app is currently beating out almost everything else on the iOS store in the US.
If you have a Netflix account, you’ve already got access to their cloud gaming library. You just boot up the app on your television and use your phone as a controller. The idea is brilliant in its simplicity. Most people don’t own a Bluetooth controller. Everyone owns a phone.
The app’s sudden popularity tells us that a massive wave of people are giving the service a try right now.
Connecting the Virtual Gamepad to Your Screen
Once you download the app, it syncs directly with your television. The interface gives you a digital directional pad on the left and four face buttons on the right.
I tried the app back when it first launched. Digital buttons lack physical feedback, which makes fast action games a real challenge. I constantly ended up looking down at my hands instead of the TV. The layout works well for slower puzzle titles. It struggles with anything requiring quick reactions.
The download spike means Netflix is actively promoting the cloud feature within their main television interface. When millions of users see a prompt to scan a QR code to play a game, the companion app is going to rocket up the charts.
Netflix Game Controller App Proves the Audience Is Ready
The sheer volume of downloads proves one thing. People want to play. They just don’t want to buy an expensive box to do it. We talk a lot about latency, resolution, frames per second and bitrates in this space. Most regular folks just want to know if the game works on the screen they already own.
Netflix has a lot of work to do before their cloud library matches the big players. The fact that the Netflix Game Controller app is sitting next to ChatGPT and TikTok shows the raw interest exists. The next step is getting all those new users to stick around.
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