UPDATE: Netflix confirms entry into gaming, starts focus on mobile
As if people don’t struggle enough on what show or film to stream during their free time, Netflix decided to add a new entertainment medium on their paid streaming platform.
That’s right. As reported last week, Netflix really is aiming to venture into the video gaming industry.
On Tuesday, Netflix finally announced during the company's discussion of their second-quarter earnings that they will expand to video games. Fear not, Netflix won’t be charging an extra fee for the games, they’re simply adding them to its regular streaming roster. It will also be ad-free, no in-game purchases, and interested players don’t need to buy individual titles.
For now, mobile games will be the focus, however, company executives clarified that other devices that support Netflix are potential candidates for other kinds of games. This could mean Netflix games could also come to PC and other gaming consoles such as PlayStation and Xbox.
Netflix didn’t specify when the games would launch since they confirmed that it was still in its early stages of development. However, a report last week revealed that they plan to release it in the following year.
As for the kind of video games Netflix will be creating, they plan to focus on games related to existing Netflix franchises. But, they still want to create standalone games based on these well-beloved franchises. This means that they might make games that are spin-offs of their popular shows and films, so that fans can explore more and expand the already established universes.