Netflix is looking to expand into video gaming, according to multiple reports. The company is said to be developing an Apple Arcade-like bundle of games.
Netflix for gaming
Services like Microsoft xCloud are sometimes referred to as 'Netflix for gaming' because they let you stream games to supported devices over the internet.
However, Netflix may actually be planning to launch just that. The company is developing its own ad-free gaming service, according to a report by The Information. Another report from Axios describes it as "a smaller Apple Arcade" service – a strange reference considering that Arcade is a download service where games run locally on hardware.
Sources said that it will consist of a "mix of licensed Netflix intellectual property and original work commissioned from independent studios" and that the "service is far off, possibly launching in 2022, and plans are all subject to change".
Netflix's interactive Minecraft Story Mode is a hybrid between a game and video
Netflix is "excited to do more"
The company has been dipping its toes in the space with interactive content such as Minecraft Story Mode. In 2019, reports also emerged that Netflix had partnered with Telltale Games to develop a Stranger Things game.
Netflix did not deny the reports and said that it is "excited to do more with interactive entertainment".
- "Our members value the variety and quality of our content. It’s why we’ve continually expanded our offering - from series to documentaries, film, local language originals and reality TV. 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," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.
- Source: The Information, Axios, Reuters
