It looks as though the streaming giant Netflix is looking to break uncharted territory by bringing video games to its platform alongside film and TV series. The news comes after the company hired an Electronic Arts (EA) and Facebook executive to lead the development.
Existing in a totally separate category from the visual media categories, the Netflix job listing gives us some clues as to how the feature might work, suggesting that the company could develop entirely new interactive games exclusively for their platform, as they continue their search for a product innovative director.
According to the report, Mike Verdu, the former EA and Facebook executive will take charge as Netflix vice president and head up the game development department, having been previously responsible for bringing games to the virtual reality Oculus platform.
Netflix’s timeframe is ambitious too, as, according to the report, the streaming service will look to offer video games within the next year or so, as it builds its team of developers and game library in the coming months. With this major new development, Netflix will look to capitalise upon their opponents and seek a large boost in new subscribers, particularly with numbers dwindling in recent months.
The new announcement will give the platform a chance to expand upon its wide array of original content, though it is currently unclear just how they will look to monetize their games in order to properly engage their subscribers. With fan favourite series such as Stranger Things approaching their end, adding in the potential for a video game spin-off may greatly improve the capital of the show, giving it significant longevity into the future.
One thing is for sure, Netflix is looking to corner the entertainment market, and it doesn’t appear that they’ll be stopping at film and television.
