Summary
Most of the titles offered by Netflix are available on other platforms, and perhaps that’s why the service is often overlooked. The fact that they’re currently only on mobile might be another turnoff for some. However, the appeal is that playing games via Netflix is included in the subscription price, and there are no additional fees, in-app purchases, or ads. And the platform is slowly beginning to attract industry veterans like Joe Staten, a former 343 Industriescreative lead forHalo Infinitewho is now working on a AAA game for Netflix.
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Netflix is also planning to branch out from mobile to TVs and PCs, which is the purpose of the current games streaming beta. For now, only two games are included in the ongoing test:Night School Studio’sOxenfreeandMolehew’s Mining Adventure, a “gem-mining arcade game.” On October 16, the beta test began to roll out in the United States, though it’s unclear just who is eligible to participate or how they are selected.
The beta test is intended to gauge Netflix’s game streaming technology on various devices, including Amazon Fire, Chromecast by Google, LG and Samsung TVs, Roku, Nvidia Shield, and Walmart ONN, and the company plans to add more in the future.Netflixhas already released a controller app for Android and iPhone to play games on the range of devices, though for many gamers, playing via a phone app will not be appealing. So hopefully, if the program proves successful, an actual controller will eventually be in the works as well.
Video games are becoming increasingly mainstream, particularly with the growth of mobile as a viable and highly lucrative platform, and adapting games into movies or shows is proving more successful than ever. Netflix has witnessed this firsthand with itsThe WitcherTV series and theCyberpunk: Edgerunnersanime based on CD Projekt Red’s award-winning RPG, and so making both types media available through a single service makes sense. Though it was less well received, the company also ventured into the world ofResident Evilwith its 2022 show, andNetflix is also working on aHorizon Zero Dawntelevision adaptation.
