Smart Just Made Console Gaming a Browser Tab
Smart has partnered with Blacknut to bring console-level cloud gaming to Filipino mobile users. The deal lets Smart and TNT subscribers stream more than 1,000 titles straight from a mobile browser. There’s nothing to install and no hardware to buy first.
How It Actually Works
Cloud gaming renders the game on a remote server and streams the video feed to your device in real time. Open a mobile browser, load the game, and play. Smart says the setup lets players jump into gameplay within seconds, skipping the download queues that usually come before a new game.
What’s In The Library
The catalog spans AAA hits, indie games, and family-friendly titles, including NBA 2K, For Honor, Asphalt, Overcooked!, and a run of LEGO games. Subscribers sign up using their Smart or TNT mobile number, verify with an OTP, and start playing. A weekly plan starts at Php 145, charged directly to prepaid load.
Why the Billing Matters More Than the Games
A large portion of mobile users in the Philippines are prepaid and don’t have credit cards, so removing that payment friction matters. Prepaid load billing is how services like music and video streaming gained ground here, and it’s the same path cloud gaming is now taking.
The Barrier This Is Trying To Remove
A PlayStation 5 still costs upward of ₱30,000 in the Philippines, and a mid-range gaming PC costs more than that. Most Filipino gamers already play on mobile, a habit built around affordable Android devices and freemium titles like Mobile Legends. Cloud gaming is Smart’s attempt to close the gap between that mobile habit and a console-level experience, without asking anyone to buy new hardware.
The Network Doing the Heavy Lifting
Cloud gaming depends on latency. In Ookla’s Speedtest Connectivity Report for the first half of 2025, Smart recorded the best mobile latency performance in the Philippines, with a median of 45.88 milliseconds across all network technologies. Smart First Vice President and Co-OIC Lloyd Manaloto said cloud gaming removes the biggest barriers to console-level gaming, namely expensive hardware, long downloads, and limited storage. Fellow Smart First Vice President and Co-OIC Marjorie Garrovillo framed the partnership as part of a broader push to give Filipino subscribers access to newer digital and entertainment experiences over the network they already pay for.
