"Games are a long-term bet for Netflix"

• Engagement with games on Netflix is said to have tripled year-over-year in 2023 as the company launched games like GTA III
• The company aims to eventually bring games to all devices, not just mobile

Since its launch in 2021, Netflix Games has been offering users the ability to play games as part of their preexisting subscription service, which come with no ads or in-app purchases.

Netflix Games started slow, with discoverability being the first major hurdle. Despite hundreds of millions of subscribers already scrolling daily through Netflix's TV and film offerings, not many were indulging in its games, which could only be downloaded out of the platform.

A few years in, Netflix Games continues to expand its offering as it aims to drive up users, beefing up its catalogue with the addition of titles like GTA III, GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Vice City, as well as the rollout of 'Netflix Stories' based on a variety of IP. It's also made a few acquisitions over the years to bolster its in-house game development, including Next Games and Spry Fox.

Its strategy could be set to change, however. Netflix recently announced that its VP of games Mike Verdu is no longer heading up its games division and will be shifting into a new role to focus on "innovation in game development", with the company now seeking a replacement.

To get some insights into Netflix Games' current ambitions, we spoke with VP of External Games Leanne Loombe, who discussed why gaming remains a long-term bet for the company.

PocketGamer.biz: We’re now more than halfway through the year. How do you reflect on what Netflix Games has to offer so far?

Leanne Loombe: We’re really happy with the shape our portfolio has taken. We are still early, but from the beginning, we knew the long-term goal was to have a game on Netflix for every one of our members and their taste - just like we have for series and films.

Our engagement tripled year-over-year in 2023, and we saw a variety of titles our members loved - games like GTA, Storyteller, Football Manager, Love is Blind and others. This helped us understand that there is a demand for more great mobile games in various genres. 

You mentioned long-term goals. We have seen other big tech companies enter games and then leave the space. What makes what you're doing at Netflix different? How ambitious are your goals?

Games are a long-term bet for Netflix. We have some of the most beloved TV and film franchises to work with, and we’ve already announced or launched games set in the worlds of Stranger Things, Squid Game, Virgin River, The Dragon Prince, and Chicken Run - and we are just getting started.

The other big differentiator is that our games are included with all Netflix memberships. We have a built-in audience of 270 million members, and they don’t have to deal with ads or microtransactions that disrupt the gameplay experience. And, of course, the incredible Netflix product that gives you personalised recommendations.

While we started with mobile, our long-term goal is to have games on all devices where you have Netflix. We’ve started early testing games on TVs and computers. 

Returning to what you said about engagement tripling year-over-year in 2023. What do you attribute this to?

With more time, we continue learning what our members enjoy. We’ve found that games based on Netflix series and films - Too Hot to Handle and games based on well-known franchises like GTA are most popular with our members, so we’re leaning more toward those categories.

Over time, more and more members have learned we have games, though we’re always exploring new ways for them to discover games on Netflix.

How does Netflix approach adding new titles to the platform that users will want?

We are focused on building a portfolio that offers everyone something. I often use the analogy that on Netflix, you might watch a whole season of a reality show one day and then watch an Oscar-winning film from Germany the next.

That’s the same choice we want to offer our members with games. No matter what game you are in the mood for, Netflix has it. 

What about cross-platform efforts? Last year you introduced tests for playing across mobile, TVs and computers. What are the long-term plans for this?

In the long term, we want to have games on all devices you have Netflix on, including mobile, TVs, and computers. It’s still very early and in a test phase with limited games in a handful of countries.

How does Netflix work with partners and how do you handle those deals?

It’s really case by case, but creating games based on our members’ favourite series and films is one of our biggest opportunities because we’re all under one roof.

Sometimes, we work with multimedia studios - like Wonderstorm, which makes both The Dragon Prince series and game and Aardman, which makes both the Chicken Run film and game - and they’ll get to launch their games using the same service.

Other times, game teams have an idea, and they’re connected directly with the creators of the series/film to explore ideas, brainstorm, and come up with something uniquely authentic. 

There are currently a lot of challenges in the mobile market, with developers tackling changes across app stores. What benefits do you think Netflix can offer developers if they want to launch their game on your subscription service? 

Hands down, the biggest advantage is the built-in reach of 270m members and having games served up to that global member base alongside films and series.

Another big one is creative freedom. Developers can work with us without worrying about monetisation and can focus on the best player experience possible. For others, it’s the ability to work on beloved Netflix IP. 

Is there anything new and upcoming we should know about or be on the lookout for, and what can we expect from Netflix games over the rest of 2024?

We recently announced 14 new games that we’re excited about and represent all the varied experiences we want to bring to our members.

There are games based on our series and films, indie gems, cosy games and even a classic card game. We were also just at Summer Game Fest in LA showing off four special titles coming soon: Harmonium: The Musical, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit, The Dragon Prince: Xadia and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure.

I can’t say much more yet, but we’re really looking forward to this fall.