Netflix is on the hunt for an exec to help it expand into the gaming sphere. A new report suggests that the streaming giant is looking to go up against some of gaming's biggest subscription giants in order to help reverse a slow in subscriber growth.
How will Netflix become the Netflix of gaming?
This news comes via a report courtesy of The Information (note: the content is behind a paywall, so we're also using additional reporting from Reuters). In the report, The Information cites "people familiar with the matter" as saying that Netflix is looking for a new executive to help it create a gaming service to sit alongside its current video streaming platform. According to the report, the streaming giant has spoken to "veteran game industry executives", although it doesn't name these individuals. This won't be the first time Netflix has made inroads into gaming - it collaborated with BonusXP on 2019's Stranger Things 3: The Game - but it would be a major leap for the company.
Apparently, Netflix is looking to create "a bundle of games" in a similar way to Apple Arcade. This likely means Netflix would be looking to shore up its offering with original content in order to entice gamers away from other services. That's just one option the company is considering, but one thing's for certain: Netflix's gaming service won't have ads. According to The Information's report, the company has "decided that the games will not feature advertising". Good news for anyone hoping for an uninterrupted gaming experience.
Who would Netflix's biggest gaming competitors be?
Early in 2019, Netflix's quarterly report named Fortnite, not any video streaming services, as its nearest competitor. Netflix's report said the company "[competes] with (and [loses] to) Fortnite more than HBO", so it's clear that Netflix already sees gaming services as more apt competition than other video platforms. However, if it were to move into the gaming space, it would have some pretty heavy hitters to contend with.
While there are a number of gaming subscription services available, by far the most popular is Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service. You can subscribe on either PC or console and instantly gain access to a pretty impressive - and constantly updated - library. There's also PlayStation Now, Ubisoft Plus, EA Play (which is also included with a Game Pass subscription), and plenty more. We don't know too much about Netflix's gaming venture yet, but we do know it's got some very stiff competition to battle if it wants to establish itself. We'll bring you more on this as soon as we get it.
What do you want Netflix's gaming subscription service to look like? Let us know in the comments below!
