Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) entered the gaming industry in 2021, offering ad-free and in-app purchase-free games, which seems to be succeeding. In 2023, downloads of Netflix Games surged by 180%, reaching 81.2 million worldwide, marked by a significant increase in fourth-quarter downloads, which comprised 53% of the total downloads for the year.
Netflix initially focused on casual games and those tied to popular shows like “Stranger Things,” but it soon expanded by acquiring game studios, including Night School Studio and Spry Fox.
These acquisitions enabled Netflix to diversify its game portfolio and establish studios globally, TechCrunch reports.
The company is now exploring cloud gaming while continuing to strengthen its mobile gaming presence.
The addition of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has been a notable success, becoming Netflix’s most-downloaded game ever. Other GTA titles also performed well, contributing significantly to Netflix’s gaming downloads in 2023.
Netflix’s gaming library is diverse, with the most popular genres being Action, Lifestyle, and Puzzle. ...