Google is testing a new gaming service called "Playables" that offers instant access to games on YouTube

Google is venturing into the gaming world once again with a new service called "Playables," which is currently being tested on its popular video platform, YouTube, according to the Wall Street Journal. This move comes after the shutdown of Google's cloud gaming service, Stadia. Playables aims to provide users with access to games directly from their web browsers or the YouTube mobile apps (pretty much how Stadia was supposed to work).

One of the games available for testing on Playables is "Stack Bounce," an arcade game that challenges players to break layers of bricks using a bouncing ball. The service allows users to enjoy these games instantly on the YouTube site or through the YouTube app, catering to both Google's Android and Apple's iOS users.

YouTube has always been a significant platform for gaming videos, positioning itself as a competitor to Twitch or Kick in the live streaming space. And while Stadia focused on bringing popular blockbuster games to the cloud, YouTube Playables appears to be targeting casual gamers with more viral games, kinda similar to what Netflix has been doing by offering small indie games and popular mobile games like World of Goo with its subscription.

Although Google has yet to make any official announcements regarding the Playables service, there are some uncertainties surrounding its availability on Apple's iOS devices. Previously, Apple prevented Nvidia GeForce NOW and Microsoft from including Xbox Cloud Gaming in the Xbox Game Pass app on iOS. As a result, Microsoft had to make Xbox Cloud Gaming accessible solely through web browsers on iOS. It remains to be seen if Apple will allow the YouTube iOS app to provide access to games, which could potentially impact the reach of Playables among Apple users. However, this possibility seems to have greater potential due to the video platform's monopoly and Google's ability to threaten Apple by withdrawing the YouTube service on iOS devices. Realistically, I don't believe it will happen, nor would it benefit either company. Nonetheless, the possibility still exists, and it is an undeniable advantage that Google has in this case compared to Microsoft. It is also worth mentioning that there is still a lingering frustration among former Stadia users due to unfulfilled promises and Google's reputation for swiftly abandoning projects. As a result, this new initiative must earn the trust of users despite its promising nature.