Netflix is betting everything on the development of games with the creation of an internal studio in Helsinki. This is what the streaming giant said on Monday; he also stated that he will make original games without advertising e without in-app purchases.
Netflix opens a new game studio
Amir RahimiVice President of Netflix’s Game Studios, said:
“This is another step forward in our vision of building a world-class game studio that will bring a variety of delicious and deeply engaging original games … to our hundreds of millions of members around the world.”
At the head of the studio is the former executive of Zynga, Marko Lastikka. Zynga is primarily a mobile developer known for creating games such as FarmVille, Words with Friends, CSR Racing, and other titles.
This new in-house game studio it’s not Netflix’s first. Earlier this year, the streaming giant bought Next Gamesbased in Helsinki, creator of the mobile title Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales. Netflix then also bought Boss Fight Studiobased in Texas, e Night School Studiobased in California, last year.
Netflix’s push for video games is part of one broader strategy of the company to keep your eyes on its platform. When Fortnite became a cultural phenomenon in 2018-19, the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastingsstated that the battle royale title represented a greater threat than the rival HBO per lo streaming.
Last year, Netflix began integrating games into its own mobile appallowing users to download the titles to their phones. The games were largely casual, but there were some hidden gems, like Poinpy. At the moment we don’t know if Netflix will stick to more casual titles or focus on creating games AAA like those of Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft.