Tag: Netflix Games

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix says it’s still ‘very early’ in development on its cloud gaming platform

Last year, Netflix said it was working on a cloud gaming platform to expand its mobile games offering, but don’t expect it anytime soon.

Speaking during a Netflix Games media briefing attended by MobileSyrup, Leanne Loombe, Netflix’s vice president of external

Leanne Loombe Netflix Games

Leanne Loombe

games, provided an update on the company’s game streaming. Per Loombe, the streamer is still “very early” in development on a cloud gaming platform, which is intended to expand the company’s gaming offerings beyond Android and iOS.

That said, she stressed that Netflix remains “very committed to making sure games can be played wherever you stream Netflix,” noting she’s bullish on cloud gaming technology.

Elsewhere in the briefing, Loombe relayed some other updates on Netflix Games. To start, there are currently 55 games on the platform since its launch in November 2021, with an additional 70 in development with external partners and 16 in the works at Netflix’s internal studios. Of all these titles, around 40 are slated for 2023.

Some of the upcoming third-party titles, which Netflix revealed for the first time during the briefing, include ustwogames’ Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 (TBA 2024), Ubisoft’s Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace (coming April 18th) and an unannounced game based on a yet-to-be-revealed Netflix IP from Vainglory developer Super Evil Megacorp (TBA). However, Loombe that some of its first-party games are still in the “very early” stages, given that games “take some time to develop.”

The goal with building this catalogue, Loombe said, is to “have a game on Netflix for every one of our members.” Admittedly, the company isn’t revealing data on how many of its roughly 230 million subscribers are playing games, with Loombe simply saying “we’re super happy and super proud” of the performance so far.

Monument Valley Netflix

However, she noted that the data Netflix has been gathering from player habits helps inform its future gaming efforts. “Each one of those games has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of what our players enjoy,” she said. “With that learning, we’re really honing into what our members want.”

For example, she said Netflix has observed three main types of games that players are gravitating towards:

  • Recognizable games (those from other platforms) — the Canadian-made TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Immortality, Valiant Hearts: Coming Home (a new, Netflix exclusive title, but a sequel to an existing gaming property)
  • Daily Play (what keeps players coming back) — Solitaire, Kittens, Asphalt Extreme
  • Netflix IP (games based on existing Netflix movies/shows) — Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game, Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales, Stranger Things: 1984

In fact, Loombe said the most popular Netflix game of all is Nanobit’s Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game, based on the Too Hot to Handle reality dating show that’s going into its fifth season. She attributed this success, in part, to having the game readily available alongside weekly episode drops of the series. Loombe also teased that a new Nanobit Too Hot to Handle game is coming later this year alongside Season 5 of the show, although no further details were provided.

This coordination extends to games that aren’t directly related to Netflix IP. For example, Etienne Tardieu, senior director, business and distribution of Ubisoft Mobile Games, pointed out that Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, which centres around soldiers, deliberately came out around the same time as Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front, a recent war drama that just received nine Oscar nominations and took home four. He went on to say Netflix’s availability in almost 200 countries makes it appealing as a publishing partner.

María Sayans, CEO of ustwogames, echoed this statement while taking it one step further. The studio’s most recent game, Desta: The Memories Between, features a protagonist who’s non-binary, Afro-Caribbean, Mancunian (from Manchester, England) and pansexual, which Sayans noted doesn’t translate easily across different languages and cultures, especially those that use masculine and feminine words. However, she said “Netflix’s focus on localization of the highest calibre” for all of its productions helped bring the game to different countries.

Meanwhile, Kristian Segerstrale, CEO of Super Evil Megacorp, said Netflix Games’ lack of microtransactions or ads frees up developers to focus on the craft of game making. These monetization schemes, he said, “force certain design paradigms that fit with the free-to-play model.”

Loombe concluded by suggesting a few games that newcomers to the platform should try out: Krispee Street, Knittens and Asphalt: Extreme.

Netflix Games are available at no additional cost with a Netflix subscription.

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Mobile Syrup

Acclaimed Canadian game TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge comes to mobile via Netflix

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is now available on Android and iOS exclusively through Netflix.

Developed by Montreal’s Tribute Games, the arcade-inspired beat ’em up released last year on consoles and PC to critical acclaim.

The game follows Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and April O’Neil as they fight the Shredder, the Foot Clan, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady.

Netflix Games is included at no additional cost with a Netflix subscription. Other notable games in the catalogue include Kentucky Route Zero, Immortality and Montreal-based Thunder Lotus’ Spiritfarer.

Image credit: Dotemu

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix ventures into the world of fitness with Nike Training Club videos

Netflix wants to help its viewers achieve their (sometimes short-lived) New Year fitness goals by offering workouts on the platform.

The streaming platform is partnering with Nike Training Club to share 30 hours of exercise sessions starting December 30th. The Nike Training Club is the “ultimate training partner” and features workouts from certified trainers, Netflix wrote in a blog post.

Programming will come in two different batches. The first batch will feature the following:

  • Kickstart Fitness with the Basics (13 episodes)
  • Two Weeks to a Stronger Core (7 episodes)
  • Fall in Love with Vinyasa Yoga (6 episodes)
  • HIT & Strength with Tara (14 episodes)
  • Feel-Good Fitness (6 episodes)

The second batch will come in the new year.

Netflix will offer the programs in various languages and on all of its plans. Workouts will focus on multiple fitness levels and interests. Netflix users can search “Nike” on the app to access the workouts.

Fitness content is the latest area Netflix has branched out to. The streaming platform also offers games that are included with the Netflix membership.

Image credit: Nike

Source: Netflix Via: TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix says it’s ‘seriously’ looking into a cloud gaming service

Netflix is “seriously” considering launching a cloud gaming platform, the company has confirmed.

Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, Mike Verdu, Netflix’s VP of game development, said the company is “very seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering” as an extension to its existing Netflix Games platform on mobile.

He added that the company would “approach this the same way we did with mobile, which is start small, be humble, be thoughtful, and then build out.” Currently, Netflix Games offers a few dozen mobile titles at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers.

According to Verdu, embracing the cloud will “meet members where they are on the devices where they consume Netflix.” Indeed, part of Netflix’s success boils down to its ubiquity, with all sorts of mobile devices, smart TVs and gaming platforms supporting the service.

However, Verdu declined to mention whether Netflix would produce its own controller for the platform, like Google did for its soon-to-be-shuttered Stadia cloud gaming service. Instead, he simply said TV remotes wouldn’t be the sole method of play. Given the widespread usage of controllers from the likes of PlayStation and Xbox, including with Apple TV, it’s possible that Netflix could simply opt to partner with existing companies.

Of course, it’s important to stress that this is all hypothetical, with Netflix not actually confirming concrete plans. On top of that, it’s not clear when the company would even release such a platform. As Verdu noted, Netflix’s approach to gaming has been measured, only offering a handful of mobile-exclusive titles since the platform launched nearly a year ago.

Along the way, it’s been gradually investing more into first-party studios, such as by acquiring Oxenfree developer Night School or opening up a brand-new office in Finland. That said, Netflix acknowledged that “it’s still early days” and “creating a game can take years,” setting expectations for when we might see more from these teams.

It’s also unclear how many people have actually been using Netflix Games. According to an August report from app analytics firm Apptopia, fewer than one percent of overall Netflix subscribers are using the gaming platform. Netflix — a company already notorious for obfuscating data on how well its content performs — hasn’t provided any official data on Netflix Games’ performance. In an October 18th letter to investors, the company simply said “We’re seeing some encouraging signs of gameplay leading to higher retention” while confirming that at least 55 games are coming to Netflix in the future.

And although Stadia never took off, cloud gaming as a whole is certainly on the rise. Newzoo, a reputable analytics firm, published a report earlier this month detailing how the games industry is set to generate approximately $2.4 billion USD (about $3.3 billion CAD) in cloud revenue this year. That works out to a 74 percent increase year-over-year, and roughly 31.7 million consumers paying for cloud gaming.

Other companies have already dipped their feet into the game streaming market. Following beta testing in 2019, Microsoft has been expanding its Xbox Cloud Gaming service (included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate) to devices like mobile and smart TVs, while PlayStation offers the ability to stream a variety of games on console. Amazon also has its own streaming platform, Luna, although it’s only available in the U.S.

In related news, Netflix recently pulled back the curtain on its lower cost, ad-supported tier, which is launching in Canada on November 1st.

Via: Protocol

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix to open first studio focused on creating original games

Netflix is forming its first in-house game development studio in Helsinki, Finland.

The developer will focus on producing original games for the streamer’s nascent gaming platform, Netflix Games.

In a blog post, Netflix said it chose Helsinki because it’s “home to some of the best game talent in the world.” Some Finnish developers include Remedy Entertainment (Control), Housemarque (Returnal), Rovio (Angry Birds) and Supercell (Clash of Clans). The developer has also appointed industry veteran Marko Lastikka as the studio director of its Helsinki office. Lastikka previously worked at Zynga for five years and Electronic Arts for four.

While this is the first gaming studio that Netflix has built from the ground up, it does own three other developers: Helsinki’s Next Games (The Waking Dead: No Man’s Land), California’s Night School Studio (Oxenfree) and Texas’ Boss Fight Entertainment (myVEGAS Bingo).

That said, we don’t know much about what any of these teams are working on. As Netflix admits in its blog post, “it’s still early days” and “creating a game can take years,” so it will likely be a while before we see more.

Earlier this year, Netflix acknowledged that it’s been “quiet” on its plans, saying the months following the November 2021 launch of Netflix Games have been about “learning and experimenting and trying to figure out what things are going to actually resonate with our members.” An August report also indicated that fewer than one percent of overall Netflix subscribers are even using Netflix Games.

What we do know, though, is that the company recently struck up a partnership with Ubisoft to bring three exclusive titles to Netflix Games in 2023. Oxenfree was also surprise launched on the platform over the weekend as part of the company’s Tudum event.

Netflix Games is included at no additional cost with a Netflix subscription and all games available on the platform are ad-free.

Source: Netflix

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix testing ‘game handles’ to be used for leaderboards and multiplayer

Netflix is testing a new feature for its gaming division referred to as “game handles.” As suggested, these act as player identities and names to be used on leaderboards as well as when playing with other players.

As the company continues to flesh out its Netflix Games division, the company is reportedly working on the ability to add unique handles. These handles are said only to incorporate letters and numbers, which is common when looking at online platforms. According to reports, these handles will effectively be used in replacement of profile icons and real names when playing Netflix Games.

Testing of game handles first began on July 19th, 2022. Netflix began using Subset Games’ Into the Breach as a testbed following the announcement that the game was joining the lineup.

Netflix Games also supports a small catalogue of other “competitive” games with social or multiplayer aspects. These include Mahjong Solitaire, Heads Up!, and Bowling Ballers. The company has since expanded its tests to these other titles.

These tests were first identified via code within the app. It’s said that the use of these handles will primarily be used when “you play with other members.” However, it also appears as though Netflix is looking to utilize them for leaderboards within prominent games.

The incorporation of multiplayer handles, multiplayer, and leaderboards all appears to speak towards the company’s wish to support new social aspects. Perhaps introducing these components can better drive adoption and retain players and subscribers.

Recently, Netflix Games was found to struggling to find a core audience. App data firm confirms that this division only sees an average of 1.7 million daily active users. This is a fragment of Netflix’s 221 million subscriber base. Since launching Netflix Games in late 2021, the small catalogue has only seen 23.3 million downloads.

Image credit: Netflix

Source: TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix’s games are being played by less than one percent of subscribers: report

It appears that a minuscule number of people are playing Netflix Games.

Citing data from app analytics firm Apptopia, CNBC reports that Netflix’s mobile games have been downloaded 23.3 million times with an average of 1.7 million daily users. For context, Netflix has 221 million subscribers, so that works out to less than one percent of the streamer’s customer base actually playing these games.

Launched last November, Netflix Games offer a selection of Android and iOS titles to Netflix subscribers at no additional cost. Dozens of games are available through the platform, with the catalogue getting multiple new titles every month.

It’s important to note, however, that we don’t actually know what Netflix’s targets were for its nascent gaming service. Given that the company is so nebulous about the performance of its original content, it’s not surprising that it hasn’t really said much about its gaming efforts.

Leanne Loombe, Netflix’s head of external games, even acknowledged this during a panel at the Tribeca Film Festival in June:

“We started in November of last year, so only a handful of months and we’re still intentionally keeping things a little bit quiet because we’re still learning and experimenting and trying to figure out what things are going to actually resonate with our members, what games people want to play. So it’s really important that we have some time to build up to that.”

And in Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings call last year, COO Greg Peters admitted that the company is “many months and really, frankly, years” away from fully understanding the games business. In the meantime, Peters said, the streamer will be “experimental and try a bunch of things” with games while having eyes on “the long-term prize.”

What that “prize” means remains to be seen, and it’s unknown how much Netflix is actually investing in games. That said, it has acquired three developers, including Night School Studio, the team behind the acclaimed Oxenfree game. And by the end of 2022, it aims to double its mobile games offering.

Regardless of Netflix’s broader plans for gaming, it’s clear that the streamer is looking at a variety of ways to mitigate its declining business. Last quarter, the streamer reported a loss of nearly one million subscribers, which came after losing 200,000 other subscribers during the first quarter of 2022. Other changes to Netflix’s business strategy include an ad-supported tier and a paywall on password sharing.

Source: CNBC

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Mobile Syrup

Innovative indie gem Before Your Eyes comes to Netflix Games

BAFTA-winning indie title Before Your Eyes is now available on Netflix Games.

 

Originally released on PC in April 2021, Before Your Eyes is a unique adventure game in that it uses your device’s camera to track your eye movement. Specifically, blinking is how the player transitions from scene to scene.

In Before Your Eyes, you play as Benjamin “Benny” Brynn, a young man who has just entered the afterlife. Before he can pass on, though, he’ll need to tell his emotional life story to The Gatekeeper.

Also available as of July 26th is Mahjong Solitaire, which features over 300 tile-matching puzzles. The acclaimed turn-based strategy game Into The Breach also hit Netflix Games last week.

Source: Netflix

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Netflix claims it will add 1,500 jobs by end of 2023, despite consistent layoffs

Netflix claims that as part of its “readjustment” of business, the company is looking at expansions and investments. This, in turn, will result in the addition of 1,500 jobs over the next year and a half, according to the company.

As Netflix’s business model shifts and its content goals evolve, the company is looking at ways to sustain growth and its subscriber base. As such, the company claims that it will “continue to invest significant amounts in our content and people,” according to Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings. He also claims that the current employee base of 10,000 will grow by 1,500 “over the next 18 months.”

News of Netflix’s commitment to folding in new jobs comes at a time when the company has been continuing to lay off its own employees. This week, the company confirms that 300 staff were let go. This news came fairly quickly after another 150 employees were laid off in May. Netflix also laid off contractors at its Tudum outlet this year too. These layoffs come off the heels of Netflix reeling from a 200,000 loss of subscribers early this year.

A part of Netflix’s expected investment is in international markets. Currently, Netflix is available worldwide with the exception of Russia and mainland China. While it’s unlikely that Netflix will reestablish its presence in Russia anytime soon, the company is expected to double down on markets outside of North America. “Over the longer term, much of our growth will come from outside the U.S.,” states an internal memo sent by Reed.

In addition, Netflix’s core expansion may not entirely lay on video content. Instead, another core facet may be its investment in video games. Although the Netflix Games branch is still quite new, the company has already acquired three studios; Boss Fight Studios, Night School Studio, and Next Games. Plus, Netflix is evolving its gaming lineup on mobile devices. Most recently, the company announced that Canadian-made Spiritfarer is coming later this year. Plus, the turn-based strategy game Into the Breach is making its way to Android on July 19th.

Netflix has also been looking at new avenues to mitigate subscriber losses. As such, the streamer is launching a lower-cost ad-supported subscription model, co-CEO Ted Sarandos has confirmed. Additionally, the company is looking into paywalling password sharing between users.

It remains to be seen how these investments and pivots will affect the company’s growth and sustainability over the next year or so. With competitors like Disney, Crave, and Amazon doubling down on content, Netflix must look at ways to attract subscribers outside of a tone-deaf Squid Game reality game show.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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Turn-based game Into the Breach coming to Android via Netflix

The popular turn-based strategy game Into the Breach is coming to Netflix on Android. As part of the streaming company’s gaming initiative, it is bringing the 2018 title from Subset Games to Android.

Into the Breach is a cult favourite by many players across PC and Nintendo Switch. Since 2018, it’s been acclaimed for its gameplay, style, and turn-based mechanics. Soon, the game is making its way to mobile for the very first time.

Netflix announced that Into the Breach will be available on Android devices on July 19th. In order to jump in, players must have an active Netflix subscription.

As part of its mobile launch, Subset Games is also releasing the Advanced Edition Update on July 19th. Available for free on all platforms, “nearly every aspect of the game will be expanded with new content,” the studio says. The update adds new squads and weapons. Additionally, there are new bosses, enemies, and missions to tackle. Into the Breach’s Advanced Edition Update adds new difficulty modes, languages, and music.

Netflix is continuously adding new games to its subscription offering. As part of its Netflix Games sector, the company recently added Into the Dead 2: Unleashed, This is a True Story, and Shatter Remastered. Canadian-made Spiritfarer is also coming to mobile for the first time later this year.

In Canada, a Netflix subscription starts at $9.99 for the ‘Basic’ plan. The HD plan is priced at $16.49 while the 4K plan is available for $20.99.

Image credit: Subset Games

Source: @NetflixGeeked Via: AndroidPolice