Google tests playing video games directly from YouTube

An email sent to Google employees discussed YouTube's aim to share video games in addition to providing video material. Users will be able to access games on mobile devices or desktop computers with the help of a product called Playables, which already has a name. The Journal was able to examine the email, which encouraged Google employees to test the new game platform.

The Wall Street Journal mentions several video games, and one of them is Stack Bounce, which is characterized as an arcade game in which players fling bouncing balls to break apart layers of bricks. The games can be quickly played by users on the YouTube website or through the YouTube mobile app for iOS and Android. YouTube is already used by gamers to watch live feeds of video game tournaments. Twitch from Amazon and YouTube battle for people who want to watch others compete.

As the platform looks to boost its flagging advertising revenue, YouTube would be entering another area of the online gaming sector by hosting games. A company spokeswoman stated, "Gaming has long been a focus at YouTube. We’re always experimenting with new features, but have nothing to announce right now."

Android users can find mobile games on the Google Play Store, and developers that make more than $1 million annually are required to give Google up to 30% of in-app purchases. How Google hopes to make money off the new YouTube product is unknown. But even in the post-pandemic environment, it is difficult to make money for game makers. Additionally, once-popular games like Angry Birds no longer produce the same level of cash.

Google shut down Stadia, a program that let players stream games to various devices directly from the cloud, in an announcement made last year. However, the number of subscribers never really took off, and Phil Harrison, the CEO of Stadia, saw a chance for YouTube to use Stadia's technology to help the video streamer develop a new revenue stream.

Simple games that were once well-liked on platforms like WeChat and Facebook are among those being explored for YouTube. In other words, since Google leaves those games to the Play Store and its 30% cut of in-app purchases, the games that YouTube may provide may not be the newest and greatest ones. However, many games may have a history of being well-liked at one point, making them intriguing enough for online gamers to continue to be interested in playing them.