Netflix began its push into video games back in 2021, but the mission of entering the gaming industry has been a slow burn. Even though the streaming company has tripled its library of mobile games, subscribers haven’t given it much attention. As of September 2023, less than one percent of Netflix’s subscriber base play a game daily. However, according to executives, the creeping progress has all been a part of the plan.
Co-CEO Greg Peters stated on the company’s earnings call, “This trajectory is not dissimilar from what we’ve seen before. [It’s] a tremendous amount of opportunity to build a long-term center value of entertainment.”
The vision of competing against colossal figures like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo has been a source of doubt for gamers, but the company is determined to carve out its own space in the video game industry. After a line of hiring and acquiring game studios, Netflix has been slowly building a foundation for more high-end games. Currently, the streaming service has a catalog of mobile titles which are free with a Netflix subscription. These 77 games can be downloading and played on Apple and Android phones.
But what else is currently in the pipeline? More mobile games based on titles like Squid Game and Wednesday are thought to be in the works, and there are rumors that the platform is developing a Grand Theft Auto game through a licensing deal with Take-Two Interactive Software. While the streaming platform has plans to make more “high-end” games, it isn’t trying to cross out console gaming.
Mike Verdu, Netflix’s VP of Games, explained that Netflix looked at gaming as a “value add.”
Verdu said, “We’re not asking you to subscribe as a console replacement. It’s a completely different business model. The hope is over time that it just becomes this very natural way to play games wherever you are.”
Are you a Netflix subscriber? What do you think about the company’s push into the gaming industry?