Netflix confirms interest to launch its own cloud gaming service

Netflix confirms interest to launch its own cloud gaming service

Hot on the heels of favorable financial results, Netflix seems to be diversifying its content offerings even further by looking into entering the cloud gaming fray.

"We’re very seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering," stated Netflix VP of game development Mike Verdu during the TechCrunch Disrupt event on Tuesday.

"We'll approach this the same way as we did with mobile — start small, be humble, be thoughtful — but it is a step we think we should take," Verdu said. "The extension into the cloud is really about reaching the other devices where people experience Netflix."

Verdu also suggested that the company was looking to launch more than just casual games on TVs. While he did not confirm if Netflix would build its own gaming controllers, he said that the games would not use TV remotes for input.

Back in August, a report by Protocol found that the company was looking to hire multiple employees to assemble its own cloud gaming infrastructure.

Verdu's announcement of Netflix's interest to enter the cloud gaming space comes weeks after Google announced the discontinuation of its Stadia cloud gaming service. According to Stadia general manager Phil Harrison, the service didn't gain the traction with users that it expected since the service launched in 2019, forcing the company to wind down the platform.

Once Netflix releases its own cloud gaming service, it will compete with current cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna.

Source: Protocol via BGR