- Netflix may be getting closer to a gaming division with a key hire
- EA and Facebook c-level executive Mike Verdu has reportedly joined the company
- Netflix has acknowledged that its main competitor is not other streaming platforms but video games
As Netflix is keeping an eye on its main rivals – video games – the company may be getting involved with the industry itself, a new report by Bloomberg suggests.
Will Netflix Be Announcing a Gaming Division Soon?
Netflix is now looking to get more seriously involved with gaming, a report by Bloomberg has claimed, in light of the company's decision to hire Facebook and Electronic Arts c-level executive Mike Verdu who is reportedly tasked with overseeing the company's forays into the segment.
Long cognizant that battle royale blockbuster Fortnite is a natural competitor to streaming traffic, Netflix may have finally decided to do a thing or two about leveling the playfield. The idea is not exactly new, nor is the rumor, as Netflix has been said to be working on “bundles of games,” which proved an interesting concept and definitely led to some speculation.
The latest details don't flesh much of the whole story, but it certainly points to a direction that could lead to Netflix transitioning to a gaming company or at least branching off. Verdu's experience within Facebook includes collaborating with game developers to bring more products for Oculus 3D headsets.
Netflix may have just got tired from having to deal with its customers stopping a stream in order to go and play Fortnite. One way the company has chosen to counteract the exodus of gamers from its service, though, has been through the introduction of a variety of gaming TV series.
Gaming Is Already on Netflix, One Way or Another
Dota: Dragon's Blood, The Witcher, and Arcane have all been successful and highly-anticipated additions to the platform's streaming portfolio, bringing more opportunities for gamers to find a reason and stick around. Just because Verdu may be stepping in, though, this doesn't mean that any actual details about the potential branching off into gaming have been provided.
Netflix, though, is following a broader trend where big companies are looking for new ways to engage. Big tech companies and even Walmart are looking to join the cloud-streaming market and try to bring worthwhile products that will secure customers with plenty of disposable income.
Of course, while Netflix has helped set the game in streaming, gaming is a bit of a terra incognita for the platform. Launching into that space, though, would definitely be an interesting endeavor to behold.
