Editing Netflix (section)

=== Netflix Games ===
In July 2021, Netflix hired Mike Verdu, a former executive from [[Electronic Arts]] and [[Facebook]], as vice president of game development, along with plans to add video games by 2022.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 14, 2021 |title=Netflix Plans to Offer Video Games in Push Beyond Films, TV |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-14/netflix-plans-to-offer-video-games-in-expansion-beyond-films-tv}}</ref> Netflix announced plans to release [[mobile gaming|mobile games]] that would be included in subscribers' service plans.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 20, 2021 |title=Netflix's gaming expansion starts with mobile |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/20/22585802/netflix-gaming-mobile-subscription-earnings}}</ref> Trial offerings were first launched for Netflix users in Poland in August 2021, offering premium mobile games based on ''Stranger Things'' including ''[[Stranger Things 3: The Game]]'', for free to subscribers through the Netflix mobile app.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 26, 2021 |title=Netflix starts testing Stranger Things games in its Android app |url=https://www.engadget.com/netflix-mobile-games-app-subscription-test-android-poland-stranger-things-155325550.html |work=[[Engadget]]}}</ref>

Netflix officially launched mobile games on November 2, 2021, for Android users around the world. Through the app, subscribers had free access to five games, including two previously made ''[[Stranger Things]]'' titles. Netflix intends to add more games to this service over time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rivera |first=Joshua |date=November 2, 2021 |title=Netflix officially has games now |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |url=https://www.polygon.com/22759722/netflix-games-on-android}}</ref> On November 9, the collection launched for [[iOS]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=November 9, 2021 |title=Netflix launches games to iPhone and iPad users worldwide |work=[[TechCrunch]] |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/09/netflix-launches-games-to-iphone-and-ipad-users-worldwide/}}</ref> Verdu said in October 2022 that besides continuing to expand their portfolio of games, they were also interested in [[cloud gaming]] options.<ref name="Netflix cloud games" />

To support the games effort, Netflix began acquiring and forming a number of studios. The company acquired [[Night School Studio]], an independent video game developer, in September 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=September 28, 2021 |title=Netflix acquires its first game studio in deal with Oxenfree creator Night School Studio |url=https://venturebeat.com/2021/09/28/netflix-acquires-its-first-game-studio-in-deal-with-oxenfree-creator-night-school-studio/ |work=[[Venture Beat]]}}</ref> Netflix announced plans to acquire Next Games in March 2022 for {{Euro|65 million}} as part of Netflix's expansions into gaming. Next Games had developed the mobile title ''Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales'' as well as two ''The Walking Dead'' mobile games.<ref>{{cite web |last=Porter |first=Jon |date=March 2, 2022 |title=Netflix acquires another developer to build 'world class games' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/2/22957953/netflix-next-games-acquisition-stranger-things-mobile-puzzle-rpg |access-date=March 2, 2022 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> Later in the month, Netflix also acquired the [[Texas]]-based mobile game developer, [[Boss Fight Entertainment]], for an undisclosed sum.<ref name="variety.com" /> Netflix opened a mobile game studio in Helsinki, Finland in September 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=September 26, 2022 |title=Netflix opens mobile game studio in Helsinki |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/netflix-opens-mobile-game-studio-in-helsinki/ |access-date=September 26, 2022 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref> and a new studio, their fifth overall, in [[southern California]] in October 2022,<ref name="Netflix cloud games">{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/23412637/netflix-cloud-gaming-new-studio |title=Netflix might get into cloud gaming, forms another new game studio |first=Toussaint |last=Egan |date=October 19, 2022 |access-date=October 23, 2022 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> alongside the acquisition of [[Spry Fox]] in [[Seattle]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/netflix-acquires-6th-gaming-studio-spry-fox/ |title=Netflix adds 6th gaming studio with acquisition of Spry Fox |date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>

In June 2024, Verdu was moved into a new role focusing on "innovation in game development."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Batchelor |first=James |date=2024-06-12 |title=Netflix moving games boss Mike Verdu to new role |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/netflix-games-boss-mike-verdu-moving-on-to-new-role |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref> The next month, Netflix hired Alain Tascan, vice president of game development at [[Epic Games]], to head up Netflix Games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2024-07-23 |title=Netflix Taps Epic Games' Alain Tascan as President of Games (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/netflix-games-president-alain-tascan-epic-1236081464/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> As of July 2024, Netflix has over 80 games in development, releasing at least one game each month to attract fans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |title=Netflix has 80 games in development, will release one per month |url=https://fortune.com/2024/07/23/netflix-video-games-80-in-development/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref> The company shut down its Southern California "Team Blue" AAA gaming studio in October 2024, leading to the departure of developers like ''[[Overwatch]]'' producer Chacko Sonny, ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]'' veteran Joseph Staten and ''[[God of War (franchise)|God of War]]'' art director Rafael Grassetti.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2024-10-22 |title=Netflix Shuts Down AAA Video Game Studio in Southern California |url=https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/netflix-shuts-video-game-studio-southern-california-1236186359/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Netflix indicated that it maintains a commitment to grow its gaming business despite the changes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2024-10-22 |title=Netflix Shuts Down 'AAA' Gaming Studio, High-Profile Devs Leave the Company |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/netflix-shuts-down-aaa-gaming-studio-high-profile-devs-leave-the-company |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |title=Scoop: Netflix shuts down 'AAA' Team Blue gaming studio, amid gaming shake-up |url=https://www.gamefile.news/p/netflix-team-blue-socal-studio |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=www.gamefile.news |language=en}}</ref> In late October, Netflix announced several games based on hit series including Netflix Stories: Outer Banks, Netflix Stories: A Perfect Couple, Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas, and The Ultimatum: Choices, as well as a new daily word game in partnership with [[TED Talks]], TED Tumblewords.<ref>{{cite web |title='The Perfect Couple,' Christmas-Themed 'Virgin River' Video Games Launching at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/perfect-couple-video-game-virgin-river-christmas-mobile-netflix-1236193290/ |website=Variety |date=October 29, 2024 |access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Teams With TED Talks for Daily Word-Puzzle Game |url=https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/netflix-ted-talks-word-puzzle-game-1236186651/ |website=Variety |date=October 22, 2024 |access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref>