On Tuesday, May 28, YouTube announced the expansion of Playables to all users. First introduced in November 2023, Playables offers a collection of 30 video games, accessible only to YouTube Premium subscribers in select markets. Now the feature is available to all users without a paid subscription, offering a wider variety of games directly on the platform.
Start rolling out playable products on YouTube
According to a YouTube blog post, the Playable section, which includes a “collection of free games that you can play directly on the platform,” is being expanded to all users across platforms. Users can access approximately 75 titles through the Playables section, found in the Explore menu on both the app and website. Games include popular titles such as Angry Birds Showdown, Words of Wonders, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask and Trivia Crack.
Despite the announcement, the rollout appears to be done in phases. Some users, including Gadgets 360 employees, have reported experiencing errors when trying to access the Playable section. Additionally, the Playables tab still doesn’t appear in the navigation menu on the website or the Android and iOS apps.
How to start playing free games
To play games on YouTube, users should launch the app on their Android or iOS device or visit the YouTube website. The Playables section is located in the Explore menu, giving you easy access to the 75+ games available. These games are described as light and entertaining, suitable for many audiences.
YouTube joins other video streaming platforms in offering games. For example, Netflix introduced games in November 2021, including titles like Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, Stranger Things 3: The Game, and Football Manager 2024 Mobile.
YouTube’s Crackdown on Ad Blockers
In related news, YouTube is taking measures against ad blockers. Reports indicate that using an ad blocker now causes videos to automatically skip to the end, preventing viewing. If the user finds a workaround, the audio will be removed. The effort is part of YouTube’s global strategy to address ad blocking issues, which the company says is critical to supporting creators and allowing billions of users to access free content.
The expansion of YouTube’s Playables feature to all users marks an important step in the platform’s offerings, providing free, accessible gaming options. However, the phased rollout and ongoing suppression of ad blockers highlights YouTube’s evolving strategies to enhance user experience and support its content ecosystem.
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