Use YouTube to watch videos, of course. But also to play online? That is precisely the proposal that the platform brings us through YouTube Playables. An idea based on the integration of video games within YouTube. Sounds interesting, right?
This is not the first time that the possibility of insert or include online games on this platform, although this option had never been considered as something real until now. It seems that with the drop in advertising revenue in the last two years, Google is looking for other ways to obtain income and is entering fully into a sector where competition is fierce.
We already know many things about YouTube Playables, although not everything. The project is currently in testing phase. For its final launch, we will have to wait in the coming months for Google to consider it sufficiently mature and consolidated.
It is not lost on anyone that this move is to a large extent a "copy" of the recent initiative of Netflix to include a games tab in an interface. This has apparently brought in a good number of new customers and subscribers. That is what Google also aspires to with this project. Already learn from the mistakes of the failure of your Stadia gaming platform, who already sleeps the sleep of the righteous.
Mobile only
There are a few things that seem definitive in the final design of YouTube Playables. The first is that It will only be available for mobile devices, that is, tablets and smartphones. Both on Android and iOS. This means that we will not be able to enjoy the online games included from the desktop version of the platform. For now.
On the other hand, it also seems clear that It will be a completely free service, which will be maintained thanks to the advertising inserted in it. YouTube games will have their own space within the platform's interface, perfectly differentiated from that of videos and shorts.
Curiously, there is one thing that has not yet been decided: the final name of this service. Everything indicates that YouTube Playables is nothing more than a provisional name and that a more commercial or catchy name will be sought when its launch is finally announced.
Games available
Many of those who are reading this post at this time you will be wondering what types of games YouTube Playables is going to offer. There's not much to say about it so far. The possible catalog of games with which the platform is going to launch is a mystery. The name of the titles is kept in the strictest of secrets. It would not be unreasonable to think that some of the games that were available on the defunct Google Stadia would be used. On the other hand, another of the ideas being considered is to bet on the classic mini-games (all of them new) or to offer short-term games. Something similar to the shorts that we can currently see on YouTube as an alternative to traditional videos.
The only gaming experience that Google has in its background is that of the doodles, those little hobbies (some of them really creative and original) that appear for a limited time on the search engine's main page. Who hasn't had fun with them at some point?
All the screenshots that have leaked online in recent weeks (you can see some samples in the image above) are not a XNUMX% reliable source, but they can be a good reference for what we will be able to find in Playables. In them some titles have been revealed, such as Angry Birds Showdown, Color Pixel Art, Daily Crossword o Extreme Scooter, among many others.
How to try YouTube Playables
Google has announced that everyone only Some YouTube users are going to have the opportunity to try this new online gaming service. They will be the ones who decide which people to include in their testing program. In this sense, there is a total opacity: it is not known who can be chosen or what the specific calendar of these tests will be.
The only thing that has been specified is that Anyone who wants to aspire to be among those selected must have YouTube history activated. This will allow Google to know which games we have interacted with, which is very useful for setting up a profile.
Likewise, to enter the hype of candidates to be selected to test Playables, it will be necessary to have a subscription to YouTube Premium.
YouTube Playables Release Date
Also in this regard, we are once again moving into the realm of speculation. Google has not yet revealed a definitive date for the launch of YouTube Playables. The leaked screenshots and the rumors they have generated suggest that the testing period will last at least until end of March 2024. We will be very attentive to update this information.