A recent report revealed that the Netflix platform will expand the types of games it offers as part of its foray into cloud gaming, while Leanne Loombe, head of external games at Netflix, says: “We feel that there is a real big opportunity with the cloud to create a specific type of gaming experience that is designed specifically for Netflix on TV, according to theverge report.
Netflix's cloud gaming efforts are still very early and come nearly two years after launching games exclusively on mobile, and currently only two titles are available as part of cloud beta testing on TVs and PCs, including Oxenfree.
But as the service grows to include more titles, Netflix says the types of games offered will vary based on platform, meaning there will eventually be titles on Netflix that are designed to be played only on a TV or PC and not a smartphone. No specific details have been announced. But I think console style games don't translate well to touchscreen.
“Platform-based change will definitely happen as we start expanding the cloud service into more regions and bringing in more games, and those games will be creatively different from the mobile games we make,” Lumby explains.
Sometimes the games we release on Netflix will be available across mobile, TV and PC via the cloud, and sometimes there will be a cloud game that can be played on TV and will be tailored to that experience.
This news seems logical given that Netflix has been investing in the field of popular games, and the company began hiring PC game developers in 2022, and this year it added Bungie veteran Joseph Staten as creative director. The timeline is unclear, but given how far Netflix’s efforts in the field of games have progressed. However, it will likely be a while before we see any versions specifically designed to run on a TV or PC.