Netflix Eyes the Gaming Industry Market

Netflix is eyeing the video-game market according to a letter to investors. The video streaming company says gaming will be a “new content category” that will be a “multiyear effort”. 

This will be primarily focused on games for mobile devices. 

“We view gaming as another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV. Games will be included in members’ Netflix subscription at no additional cost similar to films and series,” the company said.

Additionally, Mike Verdu, formerly of Electronic Arts and Facebook, has been hired as a gaming executive to oversee its development of new games.

In the letter, it said 1.5 million new subscribers had been attracted in the second quarter of the year.

It also disclosed that from its 209 million subscribers, it lost 430,000 in the US and Canada over the period. It now has 73.9 million subscribers in that market, with about 66 million in the US.

In a letter to shareholders, Netflix said that “Covid-related production delays in 2020 have led to a lighter first-half-of-2021 slate.”