Geeked Week: Netflix is doubling down on gaming

It's no secret that Netflix eyes a significant future in the games sector. The streaming titan now offers complete games as part of its bundled service, and even actually owns first-party studios, including the likes of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals developer, Night School Studio. This is all on top of having arguably the best line-up of video game TV series, anime, and film adaptations on the market. As you can see, the future of Netflix clearly lies somewhere in the games space.

As part of this year's Geeked Week, we've seen the next step into this gaming future. Not only have we received trailers for upcoming adaptations and game-centric entertainment, such as the imminent Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, but we've also received announcements relating to a whole slate of actual games that are coming to Netflix later this year and in 2024, many of which are brand new experiences that align with some of the streamers most exciting upcoming additions.

If you haven't already checked out Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, you can still do so now. But, you can also play titles such as Moonlighter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Spiritfarer, Twelve Minutes, Dead Cells, Football Manager 2024 Mobile, and even acclaimed experiences like Sam Barlow's Immortality. The list of games is often overlooked and underappreciated, likely due to the list of rather uninspired projects made to bolster Netflix's most popular shows and films (we're looking at you Too Hot To Handle games), but this isn't stopping Netflix from wanting to explore the games space further.

Leanne Loombe, Netflix's VP of external games, told us: "We're trying to make sure there is a game on Netflix for everyone. Whether you play every single day or whether you've never played a game before. So, that variety and breadth in our portfolio is really important."

Loombe continued, "We are very much focussed on recognisable IP, and some really great indie games in there, and this is really to focus in and super-serve the big Geeked Week experience."

As for what this means for Netflix's continued commitment to the games industry and what the future holds for Netflix's efforts in this space, Loombe added: "We are just over 80 games right now and we've been going since November 2021. We're looking to have a regular cadence of games, just like we do on the film and TV side. Part of games is adding more value and more member joy to our member subscription, so we want to keep a continuous flow of games every single week where possible."

"You can expect more and more games coming on a weekly basis, all the way through this year and through next year as well."

Looking to the future, in 2024 alone, Netflix has already announced a slate of games that it intends to add to its service. Some of these games are titles that have already debuted elsewhere to rave reviews and acclaim, including the likes of Supermassive's Hades, Acid Nerve's Death's Door, Thekla's Braid, Anniversary Edition, and Askiisoft's Katana Zero. But to add to this are a collection of new launches that look to build on the already hit shows and films on the streaming platform.

With Money Heist's continued success, Netflix is releasing a game that allows players to join the crew that started it all for an adventure where your choices matter. Set to launch alongside the spinoff series, Money Heist will be available exclusively and only to Netflix subscribers.

To add to this, once fans have had a chance to catch and enjoy the long-awaited Chicken Run sequel from Aardman, the streamer will also be releasing a real-time top-down heist title that sees players using squad-based mechanics to infiltrate and help chickens escape to Chicken Island from iconic locations in the series. Chicken Run: Eggstraction will also only be available to Netflix subscribers.

Finally, or at least out of the games that we know will be coming to Netflix within what seems to be the first few months of 2024, is The Dragon Prince: Xadia. This cooperative action-RPG is coming from Wonderstorm, the same team who made the hit animated series, and sees players undertaking missions to fight and face off with villains from the series and to discover new stories along the way. While this game will be available to mobile users exclusively through Netflix, the game will eventually also be coming to PC.

Loombe told us, "We get to create really authentic game experiences around those IPs that are very connected to the TV show or the movie, and so, definitely be seeing a lot more of this. I think this is where we will lean in, I think this is what our fans and our members are asking for. So, this is a thing that will help differentiate our game portfolio against others."

As for how Netflix usually goes about bringing games from third-party developers to Netflix, Loombe told us how it is often a two-way conversation between the streamer and game studios.

"It works in both ways, to be honest. There are some developers that we are really interested in their particular IP and the game they have made before. Hades is a fantastic game. So, it really depends on the partner. Sometimes we'll go to the developer and ask 'is it possible to do a version of this game for the mobile experience?' Sometimes those developers will come to us, and say we're really excited about making a mobile game and we think Netflix is the perfect platform for that. It really is a two-way conversation."

With such an emphasis to continue to grow its gaming portfolio and further commit to working with developers to bring mobile versions of their games to the streaming platform, Loombe was asked about whether Netflix eyes a future in the PC and console space.

"We're very much focussed on mobile today. We have announced our cloud technology, we are in very early stages with our cloud technology right now... our cloud infrastructure and technology will allow members to play on PC and on TV, and so that means across the platform we'll have multiple platforms... that's really our focus right now from a platform strategy. In the future, we'll continue to re-evaluate what makes sense for our portfolio."

Loombe continued when pressed for more information about Netflix's games future on Xbox and PlayStation: "I think it's always a conversation as part of our strategy and where we want to take the portfolio. As mentioned, mobile is a really big opportunity for us, and we see amazing potential to serve our members in that way through mobile, and then of course through TV, because that's really where our members are experiencing Netflix. We want to meet our members where they are, in front of the TV and in front of the PCs and laptops through the cloud, and that really is our focus right now."

Recently, we've seen Netflix explore how it offers ads to its members, with various tiers that are either cheaper and include ads, or more expensive and avoid them. Loombe was asked whether we'll ever see ads incorporated into Netflix's gaming portfolio, to which she succinctly replied: "There are no plans for ads in games."

What Loombe did directly confirm is that Netflix's future in the games space is about more than just bringing to or making games for its members. There is an intention to explore creating TV or movies based on its projects, meaning we can expect the streamer's line-up of video game related adaptations to continue to expand down the line.

Specifically, Loombe stated, "I think that's definitely possible. Yes, our strategy will absolutely work both ways. So, more to come in that space for sure."

Netflix has grand plans in the gaming space. While it's clear that the intention is to continue to explore the mobile and cloud market, Netflix doesn't intend to ease up in its efforts to bring video games to its members as part of its subscription. Perhaps it's time to finally check out some of those games that are already available...