Netflix Is Reportedly Looking to Get Into the Gaming Industry

Netflix and chill… and game.

Netflix and chill is set to have a whole new meaning as reports are surfacing that the streaming giant is looking to expand into video gaming.

According to The Information, Netflix is moving forward with plans to hire an executive to lead an expansion into video games after having approached multiple “veteran game industry” experts about the position.

That’s pretty exciting, ngl.

I was going to write an editorial for the newsletter on this Netflix gaming thing, but above and beyond the "sure, it makes strategic sense" take, I can't really get my head around what it will look like, and how big their play is going to be, and speculation feels pointless.

— Colin Campbell (@ColinCampbellx) May 21, 2021

Since the article, Netflix have responded and confirmed that they are looking into how the company can get into the lucrative gaming market.

“Our members value the variety and quality of our content. It’s why we’ve continually expanded our offering,” a spokesperson told GamesRadar+.

“Members also enjoy engaging more directly with stories they love – through interactive shows like Bandersnatch and You v. Wild, or games based on Stranger Things, La Casa de Papel and To All the Boys. So, we’re excited to do more with interactive entertainment.”

Low-key hoping for a Tiger King game.

Netflix have slowly been venturing into the gaming space already with the popular Black Mirror series creating an interactive movie experience in 2018 with Bandersnatch, as well as Stranger Things getting its own 8-bit style game a few years ago.

A fun fact that has probably pushed Netflix in the gaming direction is that back in 2019 the streaming service named the game Fortnite as their biggest rival in a letter to their shareholders.

“We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO,” the letter said.

With over 350 million registered users and 65 million playing monthly, that’s a lotta eyeballs being taken off streaming services.

Netflix expanding into video games will probably go about as well as Amazon and Google's efforts to expand into video games.

— Jez (@JezCorden) May 22, 2021

Finally, because we couldn’t help ourselves, here’s a dream list of the Netflix originals we’d love to see turned into video games:

• The Umbrella Academy
• Narcos
• Mindhunter
• The Punisher
• Jessica Jones
• The Witcher…. oh wait

Header Image: Netflix