Netflix is continuing its expansion into Gaming by opening a new development studio in Southern California.
According to TechCrunch, Netflix’s VP of gaming, Mike Verdu, said this new studio will include former Blizzard vice president and Overwatch boss Chako Sonny at the helm.
“He could have done anything, but he chose to come here,” said Verdu. “You don’t get people like that coming to your organization to build the next big thing in gaming unless there’s a sense that we’re really in it for the long haul and in it for the right reasons.”
The online streaming giant is looking to increase its foothold in gaming, and might even look to create its own cloud gaming service.
“It’s a value add,” said Verdu. “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.”
Of course, Netflix wouldn’t be the first to try streaming video games. Google Stadia attempted just that, allowing users access to a library of video games without a PC or games console, using just the Stadia device and service. Unfortunately, it struggled to survive, and with dwindling numbers, Google announced it will shutter Google Stadia by January 2023.
But Netflix doesn’t believe Stadia itself failed, just its business model. “Stadia was a technical success,” said Verdu. “It was fun to play games on Stadia. It had some issues with the business model, sure.” Although Google Stadia used a dedicated controller, Verdu wouldn’t confirm whether or not this would be the case for Netflix’s own cloud gaming service.
While Netflix has been experimenting with gaming for some time, it seems that less than one percent of Netflix subscribers actually play their games.
There are currently 35 games available to download via Netflix, with another 55 currently on their way, including those based on original IPs such as Stranger Things, as well as licensed games, such as Spongebob Squarepants. What game Netflix’s new studio will produce first remains to be seen.
Want to read more about Netflix? Check out how Netflix aims to create the best gaming service in the industry and find out more about Netflix’s other new games studio in Finland.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
