Netflix reportedly wants to get serious about gaming

Netflix wants to expand its streaming foothold.

What you need to know

• Netflix is reportedly looking to expand into the gaming industry.
• A report indicates that Netflix is trying to hire a gaming executive to lead the charge.
• The company has not confirmed plans but wants to “do more with interactive entertainment.”

Netflix is reportedly trying to break further into the gaming, according to a report by The Information. The largest streaming video platform in the U.S. by subscribers has reportedly been trying to poach gaming executives to join the company and lead the effort.

According to people familiar with the matter, Netflix is still trying to figure out the best approach. The company is considering whether to license video games, develop them on its own, or both. Netflix has apparently decided that regardless of how its games are made, they won’t include ads, following its current model with streaming video.

Netflix is reportedly considering an offering similar to Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. These services are often referred to as the “Netflix for apps,” so it only makes sense that Netflix moves in.

When pressed for a comment, a Netflix spokesperson did not confirm these plans but told Android Central that the company already has experience with interactive shows “like ‘Bandersnatch’ and ‘You v. Wild,’ or games based on ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘La Casa de Papel’ and ‘To All the Boys’.”

Netflix also said that it was excited to “do more with interactive entertainment,” a statement that leaves a lot to interpretation.

With expertise in streaming, Netflix could take a similar approach to the likes of Google Stadia and Amazon Luna, which are purely game streaming platforms. While Google’s approach has stumbled some, both companies seem committed to their platforms. Other companies like Microsoft have also taken to streaming with Xbox Game Pass (xCloud) for Android. Netflix could bolster its position to tie in a potential gaming platform with its streaming service, which could drastically help its efforts.

Meanwhile, Netflix has been expanding its offerings for its streaming service with new features like a Play Something shuffle button and Fast Laughs for TikTok-like clips from comedy movies and shows. These new features are available on smart TVs and iPhones, respectively, and are in the works for the best Android phones.

Netflix currently has roughly 208 million subscribers globally.

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