Netflix to enter video games
https://www.nbcnews.com/media/netfli...games-rcna1425
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings once said Netflix competes with the video game Fortnite more than HBO. Now, Netflix plans to take Fortnite head-on. The streamer has hired Mike Verdu, a veteran of the gaming companies Electronic Arts, Kabam and Zynga, to be vice president of game development, a company spokesperson said Wednesday, confirming a Bloomberg News report. Hastings’ statement points to just how broad the company considers its competition. Netflix doesn’t just compete with other streaming services. It competes with almost everything consumers do and just about everything that has a claim on their time — and, increasingly, consumers are spending more time playing video games. Verdu will head an expansion into video games that could launch within the next year, two people familiar with the company’s plans said. Verdu joins Netflix from Facebook, where he had been working to expand the video game offering on Oculus virtual-reality headsets. Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014. Netflix’s foray into video games, which industry insiders have been expecting for months, comes as the company seeks new revenue streams amid plateauing growth in the U.S. Video games are the entertainment industry’s fastest-growing segment and were widely seen as an obvious area of expansion for the company. https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/15/media...mes/index.html New York (CNN Business)Netflix is the king of streaming with more than 200 million subscribers. But now it appears the platform has set its sights on dominating a new form of entertainment: video games. The company will offer video games on its service within the next year, according to a report by Bloomberg. The outlet says video games will appear as a new genre on the platform — similar to documentaries and stand-up specials. Bloomberg didn't get into specifics, but reported Netflix (NFLX) doesn't plan on charging extra for access to the games. Video games may seem like an odd match for Netflix, but with competitors like Disney (DIS) quickly catching up, Netflix is looking to see if it can do to video games what it did to Hollywood. Video games are not only a multibillion dollar business, but offering games could give Netflix its Next Big Thing — something critics say it needs right now.Disney and Comcast's NBCUniversal have multiple ways to make money, such as selling Iron Man toys and Jurassic Park theme park rides, so the companies' revenue streams are not intrinsically tied to their new streaming ventures, Disney+ and Peacock. That's not the case for Netflix. The company's primary revenue driver is tied to every subscriber it brings in. So far, business has been booming in that department with Netflix at the top of the streaming mountain. However, it's growth is starting to look a tad sluggish of late. The streaming service reported in April it has 208 million subscribers globally, after adding 4 million in the first quarter of 2021. That number missed expectations and the forecasts for its next quarter, which the company reports next week, were also pretty lackluster. The company has been looking to diversify, and video games could be smart way to do that. The world of gaming isn't completely alien to Netflix. The company announced a video game based on its hit original series "Stranger Things" in 2019. Netflix has hired Mike Verdu to be its vice president of game development and help the company with its gaming efforts. Verdu has a solid pedigree in this world since he was the vice president of content at Facebook Reality Labs, overseeing that company's virtual reality offerings. He was also the senior vice president of mobile for Electronic Arts (EA) — one of the most significant names in gaming. Netflix has proven time and time again that it can find success by offering its customers new forms of entertainment. However, buyer beware when it comes to video games. Other companies have tried — and failed — to make streaming video games work. Google (GOOG), for example, said in February that it's done making video games less than two years after launching Stadia, its new game platform. Amazon's gaming strategy with "Crucible," its "Fortnite"-esque free-to-play game, also wasn't a success, nor was its Luna streaming video game platform. I could see it either raising prices even for those who aren't gamers, which would piss a lot of people off or being done as some kind of add-on like Apple Arcade with an extra surcharge. |
Re: Netflix to enter video games
I'm sure I'm stating the obvious here but the big difference between this and Apple Arcade is that Netflix doesn't ( to my knowledge) make the hardware that streams its service.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
I guess they have to do something to diversity with so many other companies in the streaming market now and competition has increased. With that said I have no doubt this will fail and lose them alot of money in the process.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
^Blockbuster's famous last words at the Netflix pitch meeting ;)
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Well yeah if Netflix somehow goes into gaming in the next year or two, they need some kind of device that can support it.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Well, for one if Google who is far more larger, controls a majority of Web Traffic tried it and failed, I don't see Netflix which is basically centered around Movies & TV able to succeed just being a Streaming Service without ties to XB, PlayStation, Nintendo and PC along with their own hardware which again one points to Google and Stadia....right now the best deal out there is XB Game Pass....now if they were able to offer something like that with a huge variety across several platforms...then maybe.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by DJariya
(Post 13958729)
Well yeah if Netflix somehow goes into gaming in the next year or two, they need some kind of device that can support it.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
This will only make sense (to me) if they're hyper focused on couch co-op/competitive or very casual games. I think that's an area where Netflix could shine because it wouldn't require the best internet connection or hardware, and would more fitting for a bigger chunk of their customer base.
But trying to do another Stadia, or xCloud, or whatever... I just don't see that working out. |
Re: Netflix to enter video games
There’s some bouncing ball game on Roku that my kids love. If they do stuff like that, I could see it working. I guess the choose your own adventure Black Mirror and Kimmy Schmidt stuff is kind of game like too.
But I don’t need another option for streaming Ubisoft games. |
Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by DJariya
(Post 13958729)
Well yeah if Netflix somehow goes into gaming in the next year or two, they need some kind of device that can support it.
You'd think if they were going to get into device making they would have long ago made a streaming device themselves. Now they have to make some kind of console plus a controller and get people onboard? They have a built in audience for streaming but I'm not sure if they acquired anyone that would make hardware manufacturing a bit easier for them. I guess we'll see. |
Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by K&AJones
(Post 13958785)
Well, for one if Google who is far more larger, controls a majority of Web Traffic tried it and failed, I don't see Netflix which is basically centered around Movies & TV able to succeed just being a Streaming Service without ties to XB, PlayStation, Nintendo and PC along with their own hardware which again one points to Google and Stadia....right now the best deal out there is XB Game Pass....now if they were able to offer something like that with a huge variety across several platforms...then maybe.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by Dan
(Post 13958847)
This will only make sense (to me) if they're hyper focused on couch co-op/competitive or very casual games. I think that's an area where Netflix could shine because it wouldn't require the best internet connection or hardware, and would more fitting for a bigger chunk of their customer base.
But trying to do another Stadia, or xCloud, or whatever... I just don't see that working out. I think you've nailed it. It will be games like Overcooked, You Don't Know Jack, Fall Guys, etc. Probably using your phone as a controller which works pretty good on the ps4. |
Re: Netflix to enter video games
On the earnings call they said they aren't going to charge extra for games, so yeah, expect them to be super simple.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by fujishig
(Post 13959988)
On the earnings call they said they aren't going to charge extra for games, so yeah, expect them to be super simple.
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Re: Netflix to enter video games
Originally Posted by Wolf359
(Post 13959778)
I think you've nailed it. It will be games like Overcooked, You Don't Know Jack, Fall Guys, etc. Probably using your phone as a controller which works pretty good on the ps4.
Originally Posted by fujishig
(Post 13959988)
On the earnings call they said they aren't going to charge extra for games, so yeah, expect them to be super simple.
Originally Posted by The Questyen
(Post 13959999)
They also said on mobile.
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