Netflix’s push mobile game doesn’t really make sense

Xbox Game Pass, PS Plus, and PS Now are starting to show how AAA gaming can be enhanced and evolved through subscription services, but it’s certainly not the first industry to do so. Streaming movies and TV is clearly the first, with Netflix operates as one of the major pioneers of entertainment vehicle subscription services. Believed to have started as a physical media rental service, the streaming business boomed after it started in 2007, building on YouTube’s innovations in making video streaming the most popular. reality. Now, the game is seeing a similar evolution with subscription services, something Netflix is ​​likely getting into as well.

This early year, Netflix hired Mike Verdu, a former executive with experience with companies like Oculus, Zynga, EA, etc. Given the variety of consoles and mobile experiences in the game, many are uncertain about the role. of Verdu in Netflix’s gaming initiative will play out. As of this month, however, Netflix has officially launched its gaming service as part of its existing Netflix subscription plans. After a beta period in several countries, some titles are now available to anyone with a Netflix account and an Android device. “Android” is a big factor here, because according to Netflix’s future gaming plans, the service is confusingly focused solely on mobile gaming.

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Potential for Netflix gaming looks promising, at first

Many people realize that, ahead of similar offerings from other game platforms (Google Stadia, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PS Now, etc.), Netflix will dip its toe into game streaming. This is first demonstrated by some of the first-party interactive experiences the streaming service is hosting on its platform, as Minecraft: Story Mode and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Later, the company announced the acquisition of Night School Studio, the independent studio behind games like Oxenfree. However, the streaming service’s gaming initiative is starting with the mobile platform, potentially expanding further beyond Android/iOS as its gaming initiative grows in scope. .

It’s weird because it seems like Netflix is ​​diving headfirst into one of the most competitive gaming markets, where instead of creating its own exclusive experience, that makes a lot of sense. The company clearly intends to start small just as a metric for its subscriber base, which will help determine how the service intends to expand the reach of its gaming initiative. mine. Popular offer Free mobile games for existing Netflix subscribers is a relatively quick and easy way to get some rough data on the existing subscriber base based on gaming preferences. However, the implementation of this plan is certainly complicated, for many reasons.

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Netflix’s Current Game Initiative Doesn’t Offer Anything New

For one thing, Mobile games offered with Netflix subscription not a brand new, first-party title exclusive to the streaming service at all. For starters, Android and iOS players already have access to Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, Teeter Upand more recently, Bowling Ballers, and Asphalt Xtreme. Especially, Asphalt Xtreme emphasizes the weirdness of Netflix’s original game list; most games are at least a few years old and won’t be suitable for most modern mobile game fans in 2021. Compared to the more popular games in the Free Top charts Top or Top Paid on Google Play, they don’t even come close.

Even excluding factors like a scarce starter library or exclusivity, nothing in this current lineup has a single service to launch Netflix’s gaming capabilities on mobile. . It can be argued that yes or no Strange things Mobile games are compelling enough to attract Netflix subscribers to watch the games section, but there are no popular games exclusive to Netflix’s platform yet. Mainstream games like Raid: Shadow Legends or one of many Grand Theft Auto portable gateway or even something relatively niche like Fantasian or Behind the frame, would make sense as a Netflix exclusive hit.

The current library of mobile games won’t do Netflix any favors, regardless of whether the company plans to add more games in the coming months. Without the opportunity to get into the big game, many people are confused as to why these mobile games even exist as part of a Netflix subscription. Netflix believes its expansion into games is a way for the service to set itself apart from its streaming rivals, many of them are buying back programs with exclusive deals. However, on this first outing, Netflix’s gaming got off to a slow start and didn’t offer anything different from what the mobile app stores already offer.

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