Netflix today launched a new Netflix Playground app designed for kids who are eight and under. Playground offers a selection of games with popular characters from shows like Sesame Street and Peppa Pig, with no ads and no in-app purchases.
Playground is included in all Netflix memberships, and it is an expansion of the existing gaming options that Netflix offers. Netflix has had games available since 2021, but now there is a dedicated space for games aimed at children. Netflix Playground is a standalone app that users can sign into with a Netflix account, and it is available on the iPhone and iPad.
With Netflix Playground, Netflix will compete with Apple Arcade, which is Apple's subscription gaming service. Like Playground, Apple Arcade games have no ads, fees, or in-app purchases, with one monthly fee unlocking all content. Apple has hundreds of titles, and it does not have an all-in-one subscription option with both streaming content and gaming access like Netflix does.
Apple does have an Apple One bundle that combines Apple TV, iCloud+, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade for $19.95 per month, but the ad-supported Netflix plan that includes TV shows, movies, and games for adults and children is cheaper at $8.99 per month. Ad-free Netflix is about the same price as Apple One at $19.99 per month.
Netflix's children's app launches as multiple countries have introduced stricter app restrictions for minors and age verification requirements for app users. The renewed focus on content that children are exposed to has likely pushed parents to look for simple, kid-friendly content like Netflix is making available.
The new Netflix Playground app is available in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, Philippines, and New Zealand today, and it is launching worldwide on April 28. [Direct Link]