Despite the underwhelming performance of Stadia, Google’s previous gaming venture, the company remains committed to exploring opportunities in the gaming industry. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google is now aiming to integrate playable online games into its popular platform, YouTube.
Dubbed “Playables,” this new initiative will allow users to instantly access and play online games directly through YouTube’s website or mobile apps on iOS and Android devices. The project is currently in internal testing, with Google employees being invited to participate, as mentioned in an email shared by The Wall Street Journal.
It’s worth noting that Google previously aimed to integrate YouTube more closely with gaming through its now-defunct cloud gaming service, Stadia. The original vision involved seamless YouTube integration, allowing users to jump directly into a game while watching trailers or witnessing gameplay from streamers. However, these plans were abandoned when Google shut down Stadia earlier this year, merely three years after its launch.
Also, while the publication only highlighted one available title, Stack Bounce—a casual arcade game where players smash horizontally stacked bricks with a ball—it hints at the broader potential of the Playables project. This move is part of YouTube CEO Neal Mohan’s efforts to identify new areas of growth amidst declining advertising spending.
As competitors like Netflix and Amazon continue to explore the playable gaming sector, Google’s Playables initiative emerges as a response to this evolving landscape. The Wall Street Journal did not provide specific details regarding the public launch timeline for Playables.
A Google spokesperson acknowledged the company’s longstanding focus on gaming at YouTube but declined to provide further information, stating, “We’re always experimenting with new features, but have nothing to announce right now.”
