Back in May, streaming giant Netflix hinted at the possibility of them launching their gaming service. Now, it seems that Netflix will be pushing through with its plans. Bloomberg has recently reported that the streaming platform will be adding games to its roster of content by next year. These Netflix games, if you will, won’t only include existing games. On top of licensing hot titles, Netflix is planning to develop its games to include in its subscription service.
As per Bloomberg, “The games will appear alongside current fare as a new programming genre – similar to what Netflix did with documentaries or stand-up specials.” This plan was made evident by Netflix’s hiring of Mike Verdu, who had previously worked with EA and Facebook Oculus, as the vice president of game development. According to Bloomberg’s report, talks about Netflix’s newest products are in the works, and while the games would be a fresh addition to Netflix’s roster of content, the streaming service isn’t planning to charge users an extra fee for their games. Additionally, in the beginning, the games will only be available for play on mobile devices for easier use. However, there are plans of further developing the games to fit bigger screens, but that will be much further in the future.
The addition of Netflix games is not so surprising when you look at the bigger picture. Over the past couple of years, new streaming platforms have popped up in the market, consider taking away market share from Netflix. While Netflix is still one of the frontrunners in the content streaming industry, it faces stiff competition from companies like Disney and Amazon, both of which have launched their respective content streaming platforms. If you recall, many Disney animated films used to be available for access on Netflix until Disney rolled out Disney Plus, which showcases Disney films throughout the years. Because of such platforms, Netflix’s market share has been dwindling – it fell by roughly 8% from 2019, and it’s expected to drop even further by 2022.
As such, the addition of Netflix games may just be what the company needs to capture more audiences’ attention. The current content market is heavily saturated, and only exceptional content can stand out. With the addition of games, Netflix hopes to attract gaming enthusiasts and younger audiences alike, which could help Netflix dominate the content streaming platform industry once more.
Additionally, Netflix stock hasn’t been performing as well as one would hope, and we could be seeing a replay of what happened to IBM when tons of other computer manufacturers began popping up and taking away IBM’s customers. The fact is, Netflix is no longer always the first choice for consumers whenever they consider patronizing a streaming platform, and at least in Netflix’s view, that needs to change. Adding in Netflix games may prove to be a good decision for the streaming platform, but we’ll have to wait and see how it all pans out.
If you like reading our content, why not show your appreciation by treating us to a cup of coffee? (or two, if you’re feeling generous)