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Netflix just released a free app called Playground for smartphones and tablets. This is a gaming app for kids, aged eight and under. It's available to all Netflix members on any tier, and the company promises it doesn't have ads or in-app purchases.
It also works without a mobile or Wi-Fi connection. Netflix says this makes it the "perfect companion for long airplane rides or grocery trips." Kids do love their screens.
The company promises an "ever-growing library of games" for children. The platform launches with titles based on some massively popular franchises. There's something called Playtime with Peppa Pig, which is a collection of minigames starring the titular Peppa and friends.
There's also a game set on Sesame Street, in which kids get to "hang out with Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar and more beloved puppet pals." This is another minigame collection, with a memory card game, a connect-the-dots game and more.
The catalog also includes a couple of games based on Dr. Seuss properties and a racing title based on the show Bad Dinosaurs. There are other things on the platform, like a sticker book collection and jigsaw puzzles. Again, every title here is intended for young children.
Netflix Playground is available now in the US and many other parts of the world. It launches globally on April 28. The regular Netflix app still offers access to traditional video games, though the streamer's interactive division has been struggling lately. It closed its AAA gaming studio back in 2024 and has since
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 Apple's CarPlay system for accessing iPhone apps on a vehicle's dashboard screen received three popular apps this week: ChatGPT, Google Meet, and Audiomack.
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We're only months away from our first look at Apple's smarter, redesigned version of Siri. iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will focus on an entirely revamped version of ?Siri?, and rumors about what we can expect are picking up.
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The Roblox-like VR title Rec Room is shutting down after operating for a decade. The free-to-play social game is closing its doors because the developers "never quite figured out" how to make it profitable, despite attracting 150 million players.
"We spent a long time trying to find a way to make the numbers work," the team wrote in a blog post. "But with the recent shift in the VR market, along with broader headwinds in gaming, the path to profitability has gotten tough enough that we've made the difficult decision to shut things down."
The shut down officially happens on June 1, but the platform is already making serious changes. Starting today, users will no longer be able to make friends, create new accounts or subscribe to the premium service. However, many features locked behind that subscription paywall will be free from now until June.
The devs are also allowing users to download some of the assets connected to rooms they created. This could, in theory, let them port their creations to other platforms in the future. Snapchat owner Snap has already bought up a bunch of Rec Room's assets and some employees will join the social media company, according to a report by GeekWire.
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