YouTube Reportedly Testing Instantly Playable Online Games

Google is reportedly testing out a new YouTube initiative called "Playables" that would let users play online games right in their browsers or through the YouTube app. So far, this service has supposedly only been offered just recently to Google employees who've been testing out Playables. Only one specific game that'd be playable this way has been mentioned so far, but Google itself hasn't said anything publicly to confirm that Playables is an initiative it's working on, so we don't know of any other games outside of the one mentioned in the report from The Wall Street Journal which broke the news.

The report describes YouTube's Playables as something that would allow people to start playing games instantly via YouTube so long as they're on the iOS or Android app or on the site via a PC's browser (those may seem like silly distinctions to make, but remember that YouTube is on basically everything from TVs to tablets as an app). The only game that's known about right now is Stack Bounce, a game where you control a ball and smash it through obstacles.

Given Google's history with Google Stadia, it shouldn't be too surprising that the company is pursuing some kind of new gaming initiative like Playables. Though Google Stadia obviously didn't do too well, the idea of being able to start playing a game instantly through a platform like YouTube which has so many users already makes sense. Google tried something like that as part of the Stadia plans previously where people could see part of a game and immediately hop into it with the press of a button. That was pitched for things like Assassin's Creed games as opposed to something a bit more casual like Stack Bounce, but it's a novel idea regardless and could be one that keeps people in their YouTube rabbit holes for a bit longer.

Though Google got a bit of an exploratory head start on services like this thanks to Stadia, it's far from the only company that's experimenting with games that are meant to be quickly and readily available to existing users. Netflix, for example, continues to add new games to its service for mobile users to play. The company has even amassed enough talent now that it's working on its own AAA game. Discord, the go-to social platform for gamers, also recently added Activities which are in-server games like putt-putt golf and more.

Google said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal that it's "always experimenting" with new gaming features at YouTube but did not confirm anything specific about Playables.