Netflix, the undisputed king of binge-worthy entertainment, has a knack for making you lose an entire weekend to a single show. It mastered the art of storytelling, revolutionized how we consume content, and convinced millions that “just one more episode” was a valid life motto. But then, it decided to dive into the gaming industry. And well… let’s just say it’s been less of an epic saga and more of a tragic comedy.
You’d think a company with such an expansive reach and endless resources would have a solid plan, right? Wrong. Instead of becoming the Netflix of gaming, they went down a path riddled with bizarre pivots, missed opportunities, and decisions that left us all scratching our heads. If Netflix’s gaming journey were a video game, it would be a frustrating open-world title where every mission is just you accidentally walking off a cliff.
Netflix’s failed grand plan
A streaming giant with a global presence decides to wade into the gaming industry. The obvious play? Use its already massive infrastructure to create a subscription for games, something that rivals Xbox Game Pass but with a larger reach and multi-platform accessibility.
Unlike Xbox Game Pass, which is locked into the Microsoft ecosystem, Netflix could have made gaming available anywhere, from mobile to PC to smart TVs, eliminating the need for expensive consoles. They even flirted with cloud gaming, hinting at a world where you could just pick up and play without any extra hardware. The potential was massive.
But instead of going full throttle on this approach, it seems like Netflix pivoted and decided, “Nah, let’s make our own games instead.” And while that could have worked, it required long-term commitment, something Netflix seemingly struggles with. They roped in talented developers, made some decent mobile games, and then, in a shocking twist no one saw coming, they laid off those same developers. Cue dramatic irony.
Then came Mike Verdu, a seasoned industry veteran, joining as the head of Netflix’s gaming division. Surely, this was a turning point, right? Nope. Four months later, according to Variety, Verdu left, and Netflix Gaming’s future suddenly became about as stable as a Jenga tower on a moving train. No real reason was given for his departure, which only fueled the suspicion that the company had no clear direction in gaming beyond “let’s just throw things at the wall and see what sticks.”
Netflix could have been the platform to rule them all
What makes this whole saga even more frustrating is that Netflix still has all the right ingredients to dominate gaming. Unlike Microsoft or Sony, which have a hardware dependency, Netflix is already in millions of homes and on millions of devices.
If it truly leaned into a gaming subscription model and partnered with third-party publishers to offer their games on Netflix, it could outpace both Xbox and PlayStation in terms of accessibility. Imagine launching Elden Ring or Cyberpunk 2077 from the same app where you watch Stranger Things, seamless, effortless, and convenient.
And yet, Netflix keeps getting in its own way. It’s like watching someone with a winning lottery ticket decide to rip it up and eat the pieces instead. They clearly want to be in the gaming industry, but they also don’t seem to know how. They’re experimenting with cloud gaming, which is promising, but without a solid content pipeline, it’s like building a rollercoaster without laying the track first.
At this point, Netflix has two choices, fully commit to being a serious gaming platform or keep stumbling forward in a haze of confusion. The potential is there, the infrastructure is there, and the audience is there. The only thing missing? A plan that actually makes sense.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
