Not content with competing against other video streaming services, Netflix is set to take on Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo by offering subscribers access to video games within the next 12 months.
As Bloomberg reports, Netflix has just hired Mike Verdu as vice president of game development. Previously, Verdu worked as vice president of AR/VR content at Facebook, and before that was senior vice president of EA Mobile. He’s also held the position of chief creative officer at game developers Kabam, TapZen, and Zynga, as well as being studio head at Atari during the 1990’s.
The plan is to begin offering access to streamed games alongside existing content under a new genre on the Netflix interface. No additional charge will be required for access to this new type of content. Obviously controller support will need to be introduced, which will require a purchase by subscribers if they don’t already own one.
With Verdu leading the gaming division, it’s expected the team will grow over the coming months alongside content being secured for streaming. Netflix also has a growing library of video content and original IP it could utilize to make games for and offer them exclusively on its own service, but that would take a few years to come to fruition. If the goal is to have games within a year, expect titles from well-known third-party publishers to be announced nearer the launch date.
