They’re not aloneeveryone’s baking games into their services now.
you might play games on YouTube, Netflix, and even LinkedIn.
We go to these sites for news and videos.
Why are they serving up games?
There was also a time when you received meaningful web traffic from a diverse set of search engines.
Now, the web is dominated by Google.
Most ad-supported websites use Google Ads.
Most web traffic comes through Google Search.
Sometimes, it’s part of our morning routine.
Maybe they help us unwind after work.
Some are simple enough that they’re how we idle away any moment when we feel the slightest unease.
How often do you go to a dictionary’s website to look up a word anymore?
Yeah, that feels about as strange now as pulling out an actual dictionary.
That’s probably why if you head toMerriam-Webster’s website, you will see games directly on the homepage.
Merriam-Webster and Britannica alike are among the sites offeringword games similar to Wordlein hopes of bringing in regular visitors.
An unfathomable amount gets uploaded every second.
On the flip side, we aren’t necessarily coming to YouTube for its back catalog.
Enter YouTube Playables,games that you’re able to play on YouTube.
YouTube is particularly well setup to capitalize on gaming.
It doesn’t need to sell you anything.
That’s not its business model (thoughYouTube Premium is a pretty good value).
YouTube just needs games to bring you to the site.
It can handle the rest from there.
Many visitors have no interest in whatever the paper is currently reporting.
This is the same mentality driving Netflix’s game push.
These games include Kentucky Route Zero, Oxenfree, and (Netflix’s first iOS exclusive) Hades.
While these are available as native games,Netflix has also gotten into cloud game streaming.
It’s the games that enticed me back to Netflix, personally.
I wanted to try several of their titles since I’m a sucker for narrative-driven adventure games.
I love Midnight Diner.
My wife can’t get enough of Heartstopper.
My kids can watch Blippi without being exposed to YouTube Kids.
Now, my family is more likely to cancel some of our other subscriptions before we cancel Netflix.
Games Keep Us Coming Back
Games have a stickiness to them.
Games, especially puzzle games, can have more longevity.
There’s no such thing as completing all the crosswords.
Come back tomorrow, and there will be a new one.
When was the last time you signed into LinkedIn?
It’s a social media platform with perhaps an even larger hill to climb than most.
It’s not like LinkedIn is a particularly fun place to beexcept nowLinkedIn has introduced games.
How’s that for combining work and play?
Games Are a Cheap Investment
Sure, there is absolutely nothing cheap about AAA gaming.
It’s arguably an unsustainable bubble that could burst at any time.
But those aren’t the games that streaming platforms and social networks are gobbling up.
A low-budget puzzle game can keep people coming back for years.
Before Avengers Endgame, Disney and Marvel were printing money.
Since Endgame, we’re now watching Disney set those same dollars on fire.
We’re just not flocking to see each new release anymore.
But you know what is a hit?Marvel Snap.
Adding Games Is Nothing New
Games have been around online since the early days of the web.
I remember Cartoon web link in the 90s advertising games available on their website.
You could read about your favorite shows online, but that alone wasn’t enticing enough.
It was games that brought us to the site.
Cramming games into seemingly unrelated streaming services is the return of a time-tested tradition.
It doesn’t always work but don’t be so quick to dismiss it.
