Can Netflix Dominate With Video Games?

Posted by

Your digital media catch-up is right here.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes:

Netflix Wants To Be The Netflix Of Video Games, Good Luck – Forbes.

Netflix now has a gaming division, and they’ve hired  Mike Verdu, a veteran of EA, Zynga and Oculus, to run it. The idea is to have a ‘gaming’ section on Netflix that is listed alongside its normal streaming offerings, but people seem to be seeing this headline and letting their imaginations run wild with what this is going to be like… It feels like the goal is to simply get people to stay on the Netflix app for longer with a games section, rather than hopping over to other game apps on their mobile device. More time in the app overall = better for Netflix. They have no ability to take on the major players in the gaming industry, which would require a colossal time and resource investment. Obviously, you can’t rule out Netflix’s long, long term plans for the gaming industry, and this feels like a first baby step, but no, this is not another Stadia clone, no, Netflix is not building huge AAA studios to take on industry giants.”

Would you play games on Netflix?

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Subscribe to get it free in your inbox right here.