YouTube is developing a new gaming service called “Playables,” says a new report from The Wall Street Journal. Playables, currently being tested internally by Google employees, will allow users to play games on mobile devices or desktop computers.
Playables appears to offer instant-play games through the YouTube website or YouTube mobile apps, alongside its traditional video content. While a YouTube spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that “gaming has long been a focus at YouTube” and that the company is “always experimenting with new features,” they declined to comment specifically on Playables.
Google previously ran the Stadia cloud gaming service but officially shuttered the service in January 2023.
Playables is not cloud-based as Stadia was. The service reportedly focuses on easy-to-play time filler games rather than the console titles offered by Stadia.
There has been no official word on when Playables could be launched to the public.
