[imagesource:twitter/@whatsonnetflix]

Oh Netflix, the place many of us go to after a long day. Whether you’re binging Stranger Things or drooling over royalty in Bridgerton, there’s something for everyone on the world’s leading streaming platform.

What you may not know is that Netflix has been quietly turning select movies and series featured on the site into full-on gaming experiences. We could be moving from ‘Netflix and chill’ to ‘Netflix and gaming’.

In a bid to stay relevant and appealing to audiences, Netflix is gradually expanding its gaming offerings for subscribers, with plans to make games an integral part of its platform.

Leanne Loom, Vice President of External Games at Netflix, explained that there’s a natural alignment between games and entertainment:

“Games are one of the biggest forms of entertainment out there today, so it really is just a natural extension for Netflix to include them as part of the subscription. The lines between the different ways we enjoy our entertainment are blurring. When you’re in that moment, looking to sit and watch a movie or be more active and play a game, we want to make sure we have something for you.”

It makes a lot of sense also considering the amount of intellectual property Netflix has access to. Why not use it to let fans of shows immerse themselves even further in these worlds?

Netflix’s foray into gaming began in November 2021, when they introduced mobile games on their app. But the company hasn’t been ‘shouting from the rooftops’ about their games; rather, they’ve take a low-key approach to gauge market dynamics.

At the moment the streaming platform is only offering mobile games, including a game tie-in with popular Netflix franchise Stranger Things. While you’ve gotta be glued to your phone for now when it comes to Netflix games, there are murmurings of ongoing tests to plan a move to TVs and computers.

Games journalist Shay Thompson says this cautious strategy is actually a super smart move.

“When other mainstream entertainment organisations have tried to enter the game space they’ve really struggled. I think it’s often down to companies fundamentally misunderstanding what it is about games as a form of entertainment that make them so compelling to players.”

We can see how these struggles have played out through incidents such as the embarrassing failure of tech giant Google’s Stadia console and Amazon Games’ awkward attempts to find a foothold in the gaming industry. So all Netflix’s sneaking around is actually a solid business move.

One of the coolest-looking games that Netflix has pushed out so far has to be The Queen’s Gambit, in partnership with Ripstone Studios.

If you’re like me and gobbled up the original show when it aired on the streaming site, you won’t be disappointed by how Netflix has pivoted the story into a game. And yes, there’s a lot of chess involved in the game, but it’s not your regular board-game simulator.

Speaking of board-games, Netflix have also (bizarrely) taken their quietly popular The Queen’s Gambit game and recreated it as a playable IRL board game. At least they’re trying everything, I guess?

Trying out @netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit board game today! (It’s not chess….) https://t.co/UnM6HU4Kc3 #notsponsored pic.twitter.com/RisYGWcdrD

— Nemo (@akaNemsko) January 8, 2022

Despite their optimistic approach, Netflix acknowledges that they are still in the early experimental stages of their gaming journey. It seems that the streaming giant is building long-lasting partnerships with series creators though, which could bode well for the future of their gaming offerings.

Jaime Brayshaw, the creative executive of The Queens Gambit‘s Ripstone Studios, seems excited about the possibilities, and suggests that this new style of game development may even introduce viewers to the fantastical world of gaming in general.

“Netflix has an audience 238 million people now. Many of them will never have played a game before, so we had to think about designing one that is accessible to as many people as possible, even if they’ve never played a video game. It’s exciting because it potentially allows more people to experience the joys of playing games and it could broaden the popularity of the medium.”

All seems calm as Netflix dips a careful toe into international gaming waters. And all I can think about is, when they make a Bojack Horseman game, I AM READY.

[source:bbc]