It’s official since July, Netflix will include free video games in its catalog. The Los Gatos platform announced on Tuesday the acquisition of Night School Studio in a
communicated. While Netflix seemed to want to focus on mobile games, this takeover proves that the streaming giant has the ambition to make a real place for itself in the video game industry.
An ambition already displayed this summer with the announcement of the recruitment of Mike Verdu, former director of VR / AR content at the social network Facebook for the subsidiary Oculus VR, passed through Atari, Electronic Arts, Zynga, Kabam.
The American studio Night School Studio, founded in 2014 in Glendale (California) and composed of former Telltale or Disney, is notably at the origin of the excellent game. Oxenfree, or even Afterparty, two games focused on storytelling.
“Redefining the standard of storytelling in games”
A logical and relevant choice for Netflix, which has already rubbed shoulders with interactive storytelling with the Bandersnatch episode of Black Mirror. “Night School Studios’ stated ambition to redefine the standard of storytelling in games is an inspiration to us,” said Mike Verdu, vice president of video game development for the streamer.
And to continue: “His concern for artistic excellence and his proven experience in the sector make him an invaluable partner at a time when we set out to build together a creative team and a catalog of Netflix games. “
For its part, the studio is delighted in a statement to be able to “continue to do what we do, in the way that we like while being on the front lines of the world’s largest entertainment platform.” »Night School Studio thus continues to develop Oxenfree 2 (expected soon on PC, PS5, Switch and PS4).
“Recruit the greatest talents in the sector”
And Netflix does not intend to stop there! “We will continue to work with developers around the world and recruit the industry’s top talent to build a collection of exclusive games for players of all types and levels,” says Mike Verdu.
Netflix has already started testing its mobilex game offering at the end of August in Poland, and since Tuesday in Italy and Spain, where subscribers to the SVOD service have access to five games, including one on the theme of Strangers Things.