Netflix is revamping its gaming strategy to increase user engagement, aiming to make gaming as accessible as streaming movies. This includes launching new initiatives like "Best Guess Live," a daily weekday game show where viewers can win money by guessing clues on their mobile devices. The company is also expanding its gaming offerings to television screens, allowing users to play games on their TVs using their phones as controllers, exemplified by titles like "Tetris Time Warp" and "Pictionary: Game Night."
Netflix has invested in its gaming division for four years, acquiring multiple gaming companies, though some efforts like Boss Fight Entertainment were later shut down. The division's leadership has shifted, with Alain Tascan now heading the gaming efforts. The strategy has evolved to focus on narrative-driven games based on Netflix shows, children's games, social party games, and mainstream titles such as "Grand Theft Auto."
These changes appear to be yielding positive results, with Netflix game downloads increasing by 17% year-over-year. The company is also releasing fewer games, focusing on quality and engagement. Despite this growth, some analysts suggest Netflix's gaming efforts are still experimental and not yet a primary entertainment source for gamers. Netflix's most popular games include "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and "Squid Game: Unleashed," with the latter tied to its popular series.
Netflix is not aiming to compete with traditional gaming consoles but rather to innovate and find new ways to reach its vast audience, seeing a significant overlap between its 700 million viewers and the 3 billion global gamers. The company is also developing kid-friendly mobile games and immersive reality competition series. The ultimate goal is to become the dominant platform for gaming, much like it did for streaming, with leadership aiming for an "A+" rating for the gaming division.
