Earlier this month, Joseph Staten left Microsoft after 18 years with the company. He was the Head of Creative for Halo Infinite and the Cinematic Director on Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3. Today, Staten has revealed what’s next. He is joining Netflix Games and will be the Creative Director for a brand-new, original AAA multiplatform game.
Staten took to Twitter and said “In my work life, there’s nothing I love more than collaborating with others to build worlds filled with iconic characters, deep mysteries, and endless adventures. So today, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve joined Netflix Games as Creative Director for a brand-new AAA multiplatform game and original IP. Let’s Go!”
Netflix’s gaming initiative has grown slowly over the past few years since they announced they would be getting into the video game business. Netflix made splash announcing the acquisition of developer Night School Studio, creators of OXENFREE and After Party. Since Netflix Games launched on mobile, the number of games in the library has grown, including some critically-acclaimed independent titles such as Spirtfarer, Immortality, and more. Netflix also announced a partnership with Ubisoft with three titles coming to Netflix exclusively. Netflix also revealed that they are exploring cloud gaming. Recently, reports are suggesting that Netflix has started or is starting testing games for TV, which would be another big step for the company. As of now, all of Netflix Games is only on mobile.
Joseph Staten coming in and working on a new, original game is the biggest step that Netflix has taken in its gaming venture. What kind of game it will be remains to be seen.