Netflix wants to extend its nascent gaming efforts to PCs and TVs, and it’s looking to launch its own cloud gaming service to do so, VP of game development Mike Verdu confirmed at TechCrunch Disrupt on Tuesday. Protocol reports: “We’re very seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering,” Verdu said. “We’ll approach this the same way as we did with mobile — start small, be humble, be thoughtful — but it is a step we think we should take,” Verdu added. “The extension into the cloud is really about reaching the other devices where people experience Netflix.”
Verdu didn’t share many additional details, but suggested the company was looking to launch more than just casual games on TVs. He declined to say whether Netflix would build its own game controllers like Google has done for its failed Stadia service, but he said the titles wouldn’t rely on TV remotes for input. […] Verdu called Netflix’s expansion into gaming a pivotal moment for the company, but admitted that it was a slow and deliberate multiyear effort. However, the company may already be seeing some rewards from those efforts. “We’re seeing some encouraging signs of gameplay leading to higher retention,” the company wrote in its letter to investors Tuesday. The report notes that Netflix has released a total of 35 games for mobile devices thus far, with an additional 55 games in its pipeline. “Fourteen of those games are being built by Netflix’s own studios, Verdu said, adding that the company was going to launch an additional studio in Southern California soon.”
Further reading: Netflix Password-Sharing Crackdown Will Roll Out Globally In ‘Early 2023’
