Netflix made its first foray into the gaming industry a few years ago by introducing a steadily expanding collection of mobile games. However, it soon became clear that this move was only a prelude to a more ambitious plan.
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Netflix’s Next Big Step In Gaming World
Following that, Netflix acquired Night School Studio (known for Oxenfree), Next Games, and Boss Fight Entertainment, indicating its commitment to gaming. In addition, the company established two studios, one in Helsinki and one in Southern California.
The launch of the California-based studio coincided with an announcement by Netflix’s vice president of gaming, Mike Verdu, confirming the company’s serious exploration of developing its own cloud gaming platform.
A month later, in November 2022, multiple job postings for the Los Angeles studio hinted at Netflix’s desire to create a PC game in the prestigious category of third-person, triple-A action roleplaying games.
When Joe Staten, the former head of the Halo franchise, joined to contribute to this AAA project, the puzzle pieces gradually fell into place. Netflix has now officially welcomed another industry veteran on board.
Raf Grassetti, the former Art Director of God of War who recently left Sony Santa Monica, has just announced a collaboration with Joseph Staten, Jerry Edsall (known for their work on Gears 4 and Gears 5), and Chacko Sonny (who has over 30 years of industry experience, contributing to prestigious franchises such as God of War, Call of Duty, Warcraft, Starcraft, The Order: 1886, and more).
Together, they will contribute their knowledge to the creation of this enigmatic game. While the journey is still in its early stages, Netflix’s commitment to entering the triple-A gaming market is evident in the hiring of highly experienced game developers and designers.
Given its size and influence, the company’s entry into this industry has the potential to be transformative. However, it is important to remember Google’s Stadia streaming platform, which faltered and eventually shut down in early 2023.
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