From Peppa Pig to Sesame Street, kids will be able to step into their favorite character’s universe in a new Netflix gaming app for children launching Monday.
Aimed at children aged 8 years and under, ‘Netflix Playground’ is the streaming giant’s latest app offering age-appropriate games and activities included in all Netflix memberships.
“We’re building a world where kids can not only watch their favorite stories, they can step inside them and interact with their favorite characters,” said John Derderian, Netflix Vice President of Animation Series and Kids & Family TV, in a press release announcing the app.
Netflix Playground is set to be available in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and The Philippines starting on April 6. The app will be rolled out internationally on April 28 from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Netflix first introduced mobile gaming in 2021, linked to popular franchises like Stranger Things. But, despite the streamer’s popularity, the gaming offering failed to gain traction. A year after its introduction, less than 1% of Netflix users had interacted with the streamer’s video games.
A second shot at gaming
Experts had pointed out that one of the major challenges with early adoption of Netflix Games could be linked to the games not being instantly playable, a criticism that Netflix has since addressed with the children’s app.
Netflix Playground is a part of the streaming giant’s ongoing bet on video games, with a shifting and more intentional strategy revealed last year, including a move to to make games instantly playable .
With Netflix Playground app, it seems gaming will finally be easily accessible to players.
Designed to be simple and offline-friendly
Users wishing to use Netflix Playground may download the app via the Google Play store or Apple App store. Then, they must log in to their existing Netflix accounts to access the app’s content library. Games are instantly playable and can be available offline.
“Netflix Playground is the perfect companion for long airplane rides or grocery trips, ensuring the only surprise is how much fun kids have along the way,” the streaming giant said in a press statement.
Familiar characters front and center
The gaming app’s debut already features an extensive content library filled with familiar characters.
On “Playtime With Peppa Pig,” kids can care for guinea pigs and make smoothies. On Sesame Street, users can play with flagship characters like Elmo and Cookie Monster and play games like memory cards.
The Dr Seuss universe also gets it own slate of games, with three different games featuring characters like Horton, from “Horton Hears a Who!”; Stella Sneedy from “The Sneetches and Other Stories,” and the fishes from “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”
“For parents, the to-do list can be never-ending. That’s why we want to make Netflix a curated space where parents know kids are entertained, engaged and enriched,” the press statement added. “Combined with our comprehensive parental controls, this high-quality, curated environment lets kids discover at their own pace while giving parents added confidence and peace of mind.”