You might not even be aware that Netflix, in addition to its usual offering of streaming movies and TV shows, includes mobile games in its subscription. And they’re not bad, precisely. Simply put, well, overlooked. It’s a nice addition that doesn’t hurt anyone, but an odd paradox holds: they are, at the same time, the future of the company… and something very few subscribers are planning to use.
Playing is a pleasure
There are good games in the Netflix app! Really! Indie wonders like ‘Oxenfree,’ ‘Twelve Minutes,’ ‘World of Goo,’ or soon, ‘Hades,’ are mixed with games based on their flagship series, such as ‘Stranger Things’ (in a retro style as interesting as it is fun), ‘Love is Blind,’ or ‘The Queen’s Gambit.’ The idea is for the library to gradually expand to give bored viewers another reason to stay. The truth is different.
Netflix has 247.2 million subscribers worldwide. Only 2.2 million play its games, or in other words, 0.9%. Phew. It’s worth noting that the catalog is offered in a tab within the mobile version of the streaming service and is not exactly hidden. Moreover, these are well-known and attractive titles that you can download to your device without needing to enter the app itself. So, what’s going on?
Imagine you go to a traditional restaurant where they have served you dishes of all flavors and colors: some are better, others are worse, but overall, you have good memories even if the prices have gone up. Suddenly, one day they also offer the possibility of going, before or after eating, to a skate park they have opened. Most likely, you would think, “It’s good to know, but I came to eat.” Well, the same goes for video games. Thanks, but no thanks.
Supposedly, Netflix has placed its trust in the future of gaming and is working to offer high-level game streaming directly on your television. However, it will still be years before that happens, and it remains to be seen whether people will truly be interested in the service. Perhaps it will take off then, although personally, I believe it’s a shot in the dark and we will never see it take off successfully. For now, it’s a peculiarity that those in executive positions are probably looking at with some skepticism. Because to function, I mean really function, is a far cry from doing so. There are too many series to watch.
