Update: A Netflix spokesperson has provided Game Rant with the following statement: "Our members value the variety and quality of our content. It’s why we’ve continually expanded our offering - from series to documentaries, film, local language originals and reality TV. Members also enjoy engaging more directly with stories they love - through interactive shows like Bandersnatch and You v. Wild, or games based on Stranger Things, La Casa de Papel and To All the Boys. So we’re excited to do more with interactive entertainment."
For years, Netflix has been the dominant force in the media streaming world, but with newer services like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video posing a potential threat to its ubiquity, the company is now seemingly looking to expand its horizons.
It's long been the home of several adaptations of video game stories, with the likes of The Witcher and Castlevania proving popular. According to a recent report, though, it may be looking to expand into the business of actually bringing games to its clientele.
Tech news outlet The Information revealed in an exclusive report today that Netflix is looking to "grow beyond traditional filmed entertainment" and is seeking an experienced executive to oversee an expansion into the gaming industry. The company has reportedly approached veterans from the industry about joining this new initiative, though the "people familiar with the situation" cited in the report didn't name any names.
It's also not known at present whether Netflix's foray into the gaming sector will involve the company making or publishing their own games or acting more as an intermediary and storefront for external publishers. One possible business model apparently discussed by those in the know follows the lead of Apple Arcade, Apple's paid subscription service that provides a host of ad-free games at the touch of a button for a fixed monthly fee.
A move into the gaming industry isn't entirely out of the blue for Netflix. Back in 2017, it released an official retro-themed Stranger Things tie-in game, and it attended E3 in 2019 to announce its intentions to create more gaming content out of its original IPs. On top of that, it's also hosted interactive offerings like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch which has blurred the line between games and TV in the vein of classic Telltale narrative games, so going all in with a dedicated games wing is not without precedent.
Still, as Netflix probably knows better than anyone, while intent is one thing, content is king. It's got no shortage of game-related TV coming soon, such as the highly-anticipated Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness and rumors of a Zelda series on the wind, but if the company can't curate a solid selection of actual games upon its arrival to the competition, it's unlikely to capture the interest of fans. As Google's issues with Stadia have proved, it requires more than just deep pockets to make an impact in an unfamiliar market.
Source: The Information (paywall) via IGN