YouTube tests online games for phones and desktop computers

(Patria) - Google sees online games as a new potential source of revenue for YouTube.

The video hosting platform has reportedly invited employees to test a new product called Playables, which gives users access to online games directly on YouTube itself.

Users will be able to play them on the YouTube website using a web browser or in the app, either on an Android or iOS phone.

Although the report suggests that several games are currently available for testing, only Stack Bounce is specifically mentioned. It is an ad-supported arcade game that challenges players to break layers of bricks with a bouncing ball.

YouTube already makes money from live gaming, but this product will give it another way to generate revenue from the industry amid a decline in advertising spending.

Although Google failed to grow its now-defunct game streaming service Stadia and eventually shut it down, this venture is a completely different matter, writes PC Press.

YouTube already has a huge audience that regularly visits the site, so it would not be a problem to see the new product.

Playables may be more similar to Netflix's gaming product, which gives its paying users access to casual games on mobile devices.