Netflix has not yet turned its gaming ambitions into a major development success. The streaming company closed its AAA studio before it released a game and has gradually reduced its involvement with the independent studios it acquired.
Despite those setbacks, gaming remains part of Netflix’s long-term plans. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos indicated that the company is particularly interested in cloud gaming and television-based play rather than building a large conventional game-publishing operation.
Speaking at Bloomberg’s Screentime event, Sarandos was asked whether Netflix would still be involved in games five years from now. He said he believed it would, pointing to mobile gaming as a possible stepping stone towards playing through the cloud.
“I think so. Really, what’s exciting right now, and the mobile gaming was a gateway to cloud gaming, we were much more interested in what you could do on the TV using your phone as a remote. And remember, in a kind of post-console world, there’s going to be all kinds of opportunities for gaming on the television.”
“And that we want to be, you know, early investors in that. I like [gaming] for IP extension. I certainly like it for brand value for people who want to spend time on that screen gaming instead of watching, that we have an option for them.”
The full discussion is available through Bloomberg’s Screentime event.
For arcade fans, the idea reflects a broader shift in how games can reach the living room. Cloud delivery may reduce the need for dedicated hardware, while traditional arcade machines continue to offer direct, tactile play through physical controls and dedicated cabinets.
Sarandos’s comments sound more consistent with accessible, Netflix-branded tie-in games than with ambitious, story-led productions designed for experienced players. That approach differs from the work associated with Night School Games, the studio behind Oxenfree, which Netflix owned and which released Unhinged during the summer. The studio was closed several months later, appearing to end Netflix’s push to develop premium games entirely in-house.
The company was also asked whether it might purchase a major publisher, such as Take-Two, or acquire part of Xbox if Microsoft ever chose to separate that business. Sarandos suggested Netflix currently has limited interest in acquisitions.
“As you know, we have not been traditionally big buyers,” he said, while acknowledging the Warner Bros. deal. “We’ve been builders from scratch.” He later explained that Netflix expects to grow mainly through its own efforts, while considering opportunities that complement the wider business. He said the same principle applies to gaming.
That leaves Netflix’s gaming strategy focused on experimentation, intellectual-property extensions and television access rather than a large acquisition or a return to costly AAA development. For readers comparing dedicated play with newer screen-based options, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the practical considerations involved in choosing a cabinet, while arcade videos explore the wider industry.
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