Netflix reportedly looking to license GTA title as it moves into "higher-end" gaming
Netflix is reportedly looking to build upon its current, predominantly mobile-focused gaming offerings by introducing «higher-end» titles to its subscription catalogue — and is said to have had discussions about licensing a Grand Theft Auto game as part of the move.
The streaming company took its first tentative steps into gaming back in November 2021, with the release of five iOS and Android titles that could be downloaded and played as part of a Netflix subscription. Since then, its gaming catalogue has swelled to over 70 titles and it's made a number notable acquisitions, including Triple Town and Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox, The Walking Dead mobile developer Next Games, and Oxenfree creator Night School Studio.
Hints of more ambitious gaming plans at Netflix came with last November's announcement the company had set up a new Los Angeles studio — lead by former Overwatch executive producer Chacko Sonny — to create a brand-new triple-A, third-person RPG for PC. And a new report from the Wall Street Journal has shed further light on Netflix plans, saying the company is «taking steps to expand into higher-end games that can be streamed from TVs or PCs.»
Netflix is said to have had discussions to release a game within Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series via a licensing deal as part of its escalating gaming ambitions — but the Wall Street Journal offered no hint as to the title it might have been targeting, or if the discussions have borne fruit.
According to the publication, Netflix believes a more significant gaming presence will help it attract new subscribers and retain existing ones by giving them something to engage with between seasons of their favourite shows (and, more cynically, provides justification for
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