In 2021, Netflixs executive vice president of game development Mike Verdu made a big announcement: Let the Games Begin. Four years later, Verdu is outand Netflixs grand experiment in gaming still feels like a work in progress.
Netflix bet big on gaming. They brought in Verdu from Facebook and EA, and then went on a buying spree, acquiring a handful of mobile gaming studios like Boss Fight and Night School. But, by the end of 2022, only about 1% of the Netflix subscribers were actually playing its games. At the time, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that gaming had a bunch of positives even if growth was slow: These are small numbers, were good with that. (Netflix declined Fast Company‘s request for comment.)
But, after years of stalled development and only a handful of successes, Netflix is pivoting. Theyve canned multiple games that were in development, and gutted entire departments like experimental video. Netflix is, once more, recalibrating its approach
The stunted rise of Netflix gaming
Gaming looked like Netflixs next big frontier. The interactive Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was a hitdespite a prolonged legal battle Netflix eventually settled. At the time, The Verge called Netflixs gaming push the company’s secret sauce for continued domination. They started to buy up major game developers, and even built an in-house studio for themselves.
This initial voyage had its snags. Their rollout of games varied between different devices. The initial crop, which included two Stranger Things-themed games, was available on Android only. Netflix teased that iOS support was “on the way,” frustrating Apple users. And, since Apple bars third-party apps from operating as its own gaming market, Netflixs iOS rollout demanded users download their games as stand-alone applications. It took two more years for Netflix to open up gaming availability on TVs.
While Netflix started by releasing a variety of themed and original games, they quickly leaned hard into IP. In 2023, Sarandos pointed to a gaming adaptation of reality show Too Hot To Handle as a major success. That game has since been given two sequels. Theyve also released gaming spin-offs of shows like Love Is Blind and The Queens Gambit. To date, their most successful game is an adaptation of Squid Game.
Then came the cuts. Netflix built an internal AAA studio (codenamed “Blue”)but reportedly shut it down in 2024 before releasing a single title. The company then delisted almost all of their interactive titles. Bandersnatch, once a beacon of hope, is now one of the last of its type remaining. In January, Netflix shelved six upcoming games. Verdu, once the leader of this new department, took on a new title of VP of GenAI for gaming, before leaving the company entirely.
Can Netflix pivot?
Netflixs gaming division isnt deadbut its entering yet another reboot. In 2024, just before Verdu transitioned to his AI-focused role, Netflix announced a new hire. Alain Tascan of Epic Games joined as a new president of games. Tascan is now making changes to his team internally. They’ve also pivoted away from a mobile-first approach, now opening up the possibility of cloud gaming on smart TVs.
Netflix has also had some recent successes that suggest possible longevity. Squid Game: Unleashed, which was released with season two of the hit drama show, racked up 42 million plays by the end of 2024. Netflix touts that Unleashed was the #1 Free Action Game in 57 Countries. The WWE mobile games will also be exclusively available through Netflix in fall 2025 with their content deal.
After years of slow starts and sharp pivots, Netflix still hasnt proven games belong in its subscription model. The next few years will test whether Tascan can turn things around.
