Netflix confirms its move into gaming, starting with mobile

(Image credit: Netflix)

It's official, Netflix is getting into gaming in a big way. Just days after announcing that former Oculus and EA exec, Mike Verdu, had joined Netflix's ranks, quickly followed by two PlayStation images mysteriously popping up in the platform's iOS app, the Los Gatos TV streaming giant has revealed that its initial gaming push will be focused on games for mobile devices.

In its recent letter to investors, Netflix also confirmed that the games will be included with users’ Netflix subscriptions. Here is precisely how Netflix explained its intentions:

"We’re also in the early stages of further expanding into games, building on our earlier efforts around interactivity (eg, Black Mirror Bandersnatch) and our Stranger Things games. We view gaming as another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV. Games will be included in members’ Netflix subscription at no additional cost similar to films and series. Initially, we’ll be primarily focused on games for mobile devices. We’re excited as ever about our movies and TV series offering and we expect a long runway of increasing investment and growth across all of our existing content categories, but since we are nearly a decade into our push into original programming, we think the time is right to learn more about how our members value games."

No details have been made available on what types of games we can expect, although, as pointed out by The Verge, Netflix recently extended its TV deal with producer, screenwriter and author, Shonda Rhimes, to include feature films and gaming content. We also don't yet know how the games will be delivered to Netflix subscribers.

The company has tested the gaming waters previously with interactive offerings like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Carmen Sandiego, but in light of Verdu's appointment and its newly shared plans going forward, we now know that Netflix's plan of attack is to go full-steam ahead with gaming.

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Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds.