Netflix Looks Towards Video Games to be Their Savior

Source: Los Angeles Times

Netflix is looking for content opportunities in the realm of video games from every direction. From the looks of it, the streaming giant has banked on the show-to-video-game pipeline. Netflix has also announced that they will be producing a show and video game based on the immensely popular card game “Exploding Kittens”.

Video games have a distinguished presence on the streaming platform, whether it be video games turned into TV shows like the “Witcher”, or TV shows turned into mobile games like “Stranger Things”. Apart from this model, Netflix is also keen on developing original games, although it might be a while before we get to play any of these Netflix original games.

The latest news of Netflix’s journey into the gaming world comes in troubling times. The streaming giant Netflix reported its first quarterly loss of subscribers in the last ten years. The streaming service provider said they lost around 700000 subscribers after rolling out of Russia post their invasion of Ukraine.

Joost van Dreunen, a lecturer at the NYU Stern School of Business in a statement said Netflix’s entry into the gaming world might be an indication of its expansion beyond the horizons of video streaming. Also, Netflix’s announcement of a cross-category production plan for Exploding Kittens exhibits their willingness to try new things.

Video streaming has been very competitive for Netflix, especially with platforms like Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and Hulu in the market. This might be another reason why Netflix is aiming for the gaming industry as their next big break. The company is still focused on producing more hits like “Money Heist” and “Squid Game”, they are also acquiring gaming studios for their upcoming plans.

The streaming service has acquired three game studios so far. Big Fight Entertainment from Texas, Next Games from Finland, and the American Night School Studio. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in an interview said “We’ve been doing these small acquisitions to build up the know-how and the creative chops to be able to make some really great gains”.

In the long run, Netflix has the vision of creating a game business while building a synergy between what people play and what people watch. This includes producing TV shows based on popular video games like “Cuphead”, “League of Legends”, “Dota”, “Castlevania”, and “The Witcher” and also producing mobile games based on popular Tv shows like “Stranger Things: 1984”.

Netflix is exploring the world of video games and will most probably stick with mobile games in the initial stages. Netflix aims to release almost 50 mobile games by the end of the year. You can find all the mobile games they have to offer on the Apple app store and the Google Play store, although you can only access the game only if you are a Netflix subscriber.

The next big release for Netflix will be the mobile game adaptation of the popular tabletop card game “Exploding Kittens'', set to launch this month. The gameplay is based on the Russian roulette formula from the original card game. Additionally, there are some new features like a card that lets you draw from the top or the bottom of a deck without revealing your card or an hourglass timer.

The Exploding Kitten TV show is also set to drop by 2023. It will be an animated adult comedy produced by Greg Daniels and Mike Judge. The series will follow two cats that come to earth as representations of angels and the devil.

Netflix COO Gregory Peters in an interview referred to the new mobile game as “an initial step on a long road map we have around thinking about how we make the film and series side and then the interactive game's experience”.

Source: Pocket-lint

Netflix has also released its first First-person shooter. Into the Dead 2: Unleashed is a hybrid runner/FPS where you need to survive hordes of zombies. Since the official launch of Netflix’s gaming program back in November, Netflix has been slowly building up its gaming portfolio with a lineup of mobile games.

If you are a foodie and love to play mobile games then one title might be perfect for you. “Star Chef 2”, you can download the game for free for your Android and iOS devices. Also do not forget to comment down below your thoughts on Netflix’s journey into the realm of video games.