Netflix plans to be a major mobile gaming player. Amazon and Disney have struggled, but can the streaming giant succeed?
- Netflix is looking to diversify its business and reverse declining subscriptions, and has set its sights on the huge mobile gaming market
- The streaming service has 35 downloadable games, with another 15 in the pipeline, and has been buying up games studios and looking at cloud gaming options
In a shadowy cave on a spooky island, a teenager hears strange sounds as she moves the dial on her radio. The frequency opens a dimensional rift – putting her friends in danger.
It’s a scene from Oxenfree, a supernatural adventure tale with themes of grief and growing up.
Oxenfree is not a TV show or movie; it’s a game that can be played on a mobile phone for hours. It’s among 35 games available for free download to subscribers through Netflix’s mobile app. The streaming giant plans to increase its games roster to roughly 50 by the end of the year.
“We want to deliver the best entertainment experiences to our (223 million) members, and that includes great games,” says Mike Verdu, a former Facebook and Electronic Arts executive who was named Netflix’s vice-president of games last year.
Netflix’s big push into gaming comes at a time when the California-based company is facing mounting pressure to diversify its business and boost its customer base, to counter rivals such as Disney+ and HBO Max.