By Rupali Sharma
From Black Mirror: Bandersnatch to Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3:The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up, Netflix expressed its desire to be in the competition by recently launching its five brand new games for iOS and Android.
Netflix says, “We want to begin to build a library of games that offers something for everyone. We’re in the early days of creating a great gaming experience, and we’re excited to take you on this journey with us.” Clearly, Netflix wants to give subscribers the option to play mobile games for free when they subscribe.
Now the questions come! Why does Netflix want to boom the gaming industry? When did it all start? Is Netflix going to revolutionize the sector? What are the elements Netflix added to do so? We’ve analysed some data to get the answer to all these queries.
Understanding the Strategy
Firstly, to understand the ‘Netflix of Gaming’, we need to understand the elements or strategy they used to achieve their goals. Netflix became the talk of the town when it was reported in May 2021 that Netflix was going to enter the gaming world. It was also reported that Netflix wants to hire an executive to oversee its gaming efforts. But that time, Netflix didn’t confirm these rumours.
Therefore, let’s see what are the new things Netflix added:
1. Subscription
One of the things that stands out most about Netflix games is the subscription feature. There is no need for additional fees, additional ads or in-app purchases if you have a Netflix subscription. Now subscribers have the option to play five games as of now. Therefore, it’s clear that Netflix subscribers get access to new media content through games.
Greg Peters, Netflix’s chief operating officer and chief product officer, said,“Maybe someday we’ll see a game that spawns a film or a series. That would be an amazing place to get to, to really see the rich interplay between these different forms of entertainment.”
2. iOS and Android
On 2 November 2021, Netflix in a tweet stated that it’s going to roll out the first ever Netflix Mobile App. After Netflix announced it would pursue gaming content for its billion-dollar entertainment platform, it was only a matter of time before you could access the Netflix App and play games. The game was first rolled out for android and then for iOS within a week.
Netflix Games’ launch on iOS has triggered some discussion, especially because Apple’s App Store policies have prevented it from being used by other gaming platforms and services. In general, third-party apps cannot act as storefronts for apps.
Through this experimentation, Netflix plans to tackle gaming in a variety of forms and platforms over time.
3. Verdu Factor
According to a CNBC report, dated 14 July, 2021, a significant expansion of the company’s gaming offerings is driven by the hiring of Mike Verdu, a video-game executive who was formerly at Facebook and EA (Electronic Arts) where he served as vice president of augmented reality and virtual reality content.
Experts say that Netflix could not have made a better hire than Mike to lead the charge on gaming for Netflix, demonstrating their commitment to the gaming industry. The results have been visible since Netflix launched its games on the 3rd of November.
4. Shareholder Letter 2019
If we take a closer look at the shareholder letter 2019 of Netflix then we can contemplate the long term view of Netflix. We can see the long run perspective. It says, “Since we are nearly a decade into our push into original programming, we think the time is right to learn more about how our members value games.”
Also Petre says,“this is going to be — it’s a multiyear effort. We’re going to start relatively small… we’ll learn. We’ll grow. We’ll refocus our investment based on what we see as working, and we’ll just continuously improve based on what our members are telling us is working.We’ll be very sort of experimental and try a lot of things in this space. A lot of what we have to do right now is just focus on learning.”
5. No Internet Needed with Child’s Lock
The majority of games require an internet connection. Even Netflix movies or series can’t be seen without internet connection. But here comes the newness of Netflix gaming. Even if some mobile games require Internet access, others will be available to play offline, making those long trips or areas with inadequate Wi-Fi more manageable.
If you’re playing these games on Netflix App then it is totally safe from children. As a result, these games cannot be accessed by children. Your PIN you set up to prevent kids from seeing adult profiles will also be needed to log in to Netflix and play the game on a device.
Conclusion
From the news reports, interviews, tweets and shareholder letters, we can now expect Netflix to be marketed as the Netflix of gaming. Above are the points that attempt to explain why industry experts predict the future of gaming when it comes to Netflix. According to experts, Netflix games still need more upgrading and friction-free gameplay. Let’s see what comes next. Till then Gamify Your World!
