DISH-owned streaming service Sling TV has officially announced the launch of its newest feature, “Arcade.” This gaming platform offers a variety of classic arcade games, including favorites like Tetris, Wheel of Fortune, and Doodle Jump, among others.
Notably, the experience is completely free for Sling TV and Sling Freestream customers, allowing them to enjoy these games while simultaneously watching live TV content. It’s the perfect way to pass the time during commercial breaks.
Sling TV wants to enhance the gaming experience for its users, even allowing them to expand the Arcade row on their home screen for a more immersive playing experience. In comparison, both Netflix and YouTube’s gaming options are only available to paid subscribers.
The initial launch of Arcade will feature 10 games, with more titles added regularly. This is thanks to Sling’s partnership with Play.Works, a connected-TV games provider with a reach of over 200 million televisions. They have also teamed up with major TV companies like Comcast, Cox, Samsung, Vizio, and more. While Sling has not announced any additional partnerships, it wouldn’t be surprising if they collaborate with other gaming companies in the future. There is also the possibility that Sling will acquire independent studios and developers, similar to Netflix’s approach. In 2021, the streaming giant acquired six companies to expand their collection of gaming options.
“Sling is more than just TV now,” says Gary Schanman, Group President of DISH Video Services. “We want people to enjoy their entertainment as much as we do. The new Arcade feature combines classic games with our great TV programming, providing a unique and diverse entertainment experience. No other streaming platform offers this level of free entertainment.”
While Sling has been struggling to maintain subscribers in recent years, Arcade could be the key to setting them apart from their competitors. The recent merger with EchoStar did not prevent a loss of 65,000 Sling TV subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2023, bringing the total to 2.06 million. This is a decrease from the 77,000 subscribers lost during the same period the year before.
Currently, Arcade is only available on Amazon Fire TV and Android TV, but Sling plans to add support for more devices in the near future.
