Netflix plans to foray into gaming market

Making all efforts to launch exclusive service on its platform

If reports from global news sources are to be believed then Netflix seems to be gearing up to make a splash in the gaming market by launching an exclusive service.

The reports gathered momentum in June this year when the nature of the gaming service was being discussed. Since then, Netflix has recently hired an executive who has worked with Facebook’s VR/AR focused Oculus division (before its sale to Adobe in 2019) and then with Electronic Arts. Netflix’s proposed move into the video games cannot be considered surprising as they have dabbled with games earlier, remember Stranger Things? and interactive experiences like Minecraft and Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch.

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However, it would be interesting to see how the streaming giant makes its entry into the gaming space and how the resultant combination could possibly shape up.

Let’s examine what could Netflix offer to the gaming industry:

New stories and experiences: There’s simply no doubt that Netflix has over the last decade made the blurring spaces between comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and popular culture its own.

In its stable there are an eclectic mix of fantasy and fictional worlds that can all be transformed into gaming realities. With stranger things, in 2018 I felt that Netflix was just experimenting but now if they make a committed push then a lot of projects could quickly be greenlit as challenges of world-building and conceptualisation wouldn’t encumber Netflix here.

Audience challenges: This one is simple enough, a lot of people across the world rely on the streaming giant for entertainment and I am willing to bet that a lot of those people also play video games.

The intersection is perfect, provided Netflix does things the right way. If the games are built as unique experiences that can work both as standalone adventures but also offer people who watch similar content newer dimensions; then Netflix could soon be more than just a binge-watching platform.

What kind of gaming service: This is the trickiest one of all to guess as Netflix needs to decide how does it roll out the gaming service, will it simply be another tab in the current application or will it be a standalone service?

Is it bundled in with the current subscription or will it cost extra? On the games front will they be games that can be enjoyed on touch devices like tablets and mobiles or more complex games that can only be enjoyed on PCs, Macs and consoles? Lastly, increasingly a lot of people consume Netflix on smart TVs and will these games work on them? Key questions that I am sure the guys at Netflix are debating, but also questions we need answers to before we decide to get on board with the service.

Lastly, in my assessment there is simply too much here that is unknown, for instance, with regards to the nature of games that are to be made; are they going to remain choice-based interactive stories or will they offer players more activity?
If the former turns out to be the case, then all of this is much ado about nothing but if it’s the latter, which looks more likely with their unique skill-set of the executive hired, then this could be an interesting ride. I guess with Netflix we all should give game streaming a second chance?