The first two years of the new decade have drastically impacted the way we consume content. With the days of visiting cinema halls and gaming arcades becoming a figment of our distant pasts, the world has now accustomed itself to the new norms and plans that the pandemic brought along with it. During this period, we all collectively experienced the lightning growth of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and many others that have over time become household terms and, most importantly, an indispensable part of our day-to-day lives.

Despite the many crops of streaming platforms that have risen over time, Netflix has maintained its dominance as the premier platform.  With over 200 million subscribers across the globe, the Netflix brand has become almost synonymous with high-value content. It came as a welcome surprise to many when Netflix announced its debut in the video gaming industry.

The streaming monarch that previously tested the waters of interactive streaming experiences with Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) and the Stranger Things game (2019) is all set to expand its horizons under the superintendence of former Facebook & Electronic Arts Inc. executive, Mike Verdu. While leaping from being simply a streaming platform into the interactive content arena might seem significant, the plausible course of action for Netflix is fascinating. Instead of taking advantage of its streaming technology contemporaries like Google Stadia and Microsoft XCloud, Netflix wishes to approach the idea with a more franchise-based mindset to optimise the pre-existing fan base that the shows have, similar to efforts made by Walt Disney and Warner Bros in the past. So, if the words of Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and COO Greg Peters are valid, the possibility of us playing an uber-cool interactive game based on Money Heist isn’t very far! 

The recent proposition by Netflix also comes with its risks. Though the streaming powerhouse might have a possible monopoly over providing quality content to consumers across the globe, it is also essential to acknowledge the expanse of the gaming industry and its vastly competitive nature. The streaming platform will be exploring the unforeseen territory and putting itself in competition with gaming giants like EA and Zynga. Nevertheless, Netflix’s content strategy of mining intellectual property from popular shows sounds promising. If initiated, the streaming legend wants to primarily focus on games for mobile devices and use cloud technology to bring console-quality video gaming to its consumers- all within the subscription cost that we pay to Netflix.

Although the success of this brand-new venture by Netflix is still a matter of scepticism for many, it is affirmative that the shift from films and television towards gaming will prove to be monumental for the streaming platform. The development of the idea is still in its infancy and may take a year or two to take shape into a full-fledged foray of fascinating content for us.