Netflix says the cloud will let it expand beyond mobile games
By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.
As Netflix’s foray into cloud gaming expands, so, too, will the kinds of games the company offers. “We feel like there is a real big opportunity with cloud to create a certain type of game experience that really is tailored to Netflix on TV,” says Leanne Loombe, Netflix’s head of external games.
Netflix’s cloud gaming efforts are still very early and follow nearly two years of releasing games exclusively on mobile. Right now, only two titles are available as part of a cloud beta test on TVs and PCs, including Oxenfree. But as the service grows to include more titles, Netflix says that the kinds of games offered will differ based on platform — meaning there will eventually be titles on Netflix designed to play only on your television or PC and not a smartphone. No specifics were announced but think console-style games that don’t translate well to a touchscreen.
“Changing based on platform will absolutely happen when we start to expand out the cloud service into more regions and bring more games,” explains Loombe. “Those games will be different creatively to the mobile games that we’re making. Sometimes the games we launch on Netflix will be across mobile and TV and PC through the cloud. And sometimes there’ll be a cloud game that’s playable on TV and it will be really tailored to that experience.”
The news makes sense given that Netflix has been investing in the blockbuster gaming space. The company started hiring PC game developers in 2022, and this year, it added Bungie veteran Joseph Staten as creative director. The timeline isn’t clear, but
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