Netflix says it’s considering launching a cloud gaming service, cites Stadia lessons

Netflix is considering adding cloud gaming to its list of services.

During a discussion at the TechCrunch Disrupt event, Netflix’s vice president of games Mike Verdu revealed that the company was investigating the possibility of letting its subscribers stream games.

“We’re very seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering so we can reach members on TVs and PCs,” Verdu explained.

“We’ll approach this the same way we did with mobile, which is start small, be humble, be thoughtful, and then build out. But it is a step we think we should take to meet members where they are, on the devices where they consume Netflix.”

When asked by the event’s host how Netflix would avoid being a failure like Stadia was, Verdu replied: “Stadia was a technical success. It was fun to play games on Stadia. It had some issues with the business model. I look at the technology and say it worked.

“For us, delivering games to your TV and your PC, it’s value add. We’re not asking you to subscribe as a console replacement, so it’s a completely different business model. The hope is over time that it just becomes this very natural to play games wherever you are.”

He added: “I won’t point to mistakes because that seems unfair, because [Google] took a really bold gamble. The thing that I thought was amazing about Stadia and other platforms is the kind of experiences that they enabled that you really can’t have any other way.

“And they saw that and started doing some work on an internal studio but it just takes a long time to get it right.”

Further reading

4

Netflix announces creation of in-house game studio in Helsinki

Netflix subscribers have had access to mobile games for nearly a year

Verdu was also asked if Netflix was planning to make a controller to be used for its streaming games, to which he replied: “Just the news that we’re poking at this is probably enough for now.”

The host clarified: “But these aren’t games people are going to be playing with their Apple TV remote, I guess?”

“No,” Verdu replied.

Netflix subscribers in numerous regions already have access to a library of mobile titles through the Android and iOS versions of the Netflix app. There are currently 35 games on the service, and Verdu said there are 55 more games currently in development.