In addition to Google Stadia and GeForce Now, LG will soon add Utomik and Blacknut. The company is also rolling out a new 'Gaming Shelf' on its 2021 and 2022 LCD and OLED models.
Earlier this year, Samsung in a some regions launched the Gaming Hub with Xbox, Google Stadia, GeForce Now, Utomik and now also Amazon Luna.
LG's response is the Gaming Shelf, which is a new gaming-focused section in LG's webOS user interface. Gaming Shelf is rolling out globally to bring cloud games to the forefront for owners of recent LG OLED TVs and LCD TVs running webOS 6.0 (2021) or webOS 22 (2022). LG is not upgrading its Smart TVs to newer generations of webOS after the sale.
Update: LG Korea confirms to FlatpanelsHD that the Gaming Shelf is a server-side update for webOS. It does not require a firmware update of the TV.
At launch, games from Nvidia's GeForce Now will be highlighted on the Gaming Shelf, and soon you will also see highlighted games from Google Stadia and other gaming services.
The Gaming Shelf is rolling out globally to 2021 and 2022 LG TVs. Photo: LG
Blacknut and Utomik apps
In addition, LG is adding two new cloud gaming apps to webOS; again only for 2021 and 2022 LG models. These are Blacknut and Utomik.
Blacknut will be available on LG TVs in the UK, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland from September, in North America later this year, and in more regions worldwide by the first quarter of 2023. The game streaming services offers over 500 PC and console games including Metro Exodus, Overcooked, and Disney games.
Utomik Cloud will launch starting in November in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Utomik offers over 100+ PC games for streaming, mainly indie titles such as Coffee Talk, My Time at Portia, and Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion.
Still missing? Xbox and Amazon Luna. LG did not provide any updates on these two at IFA 2022.
Utomik on LG OLED TV. Photo: Utomik
Blacknut on LG OLED TV. Photo: Blacknut
