In a recent earnings briefing, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters discussed the streaming giant’s current plans for its gaming services, which up to now have not produced the results the company was hoping for. Following significant cuts and a new focus on mobile and party games, Netflix has confessed it still has ways to go with said service, but is still invested in its success. According to a report from The Motley Fool, “The company stated the consumer gaming market opportunity is “$150 billion in consumer spend ex-China, ex-Russia,” and highlighted the launch of Netflix (NFLX 9.71%) Playground, a dedicated kids’ gaming app”, and while its investment in gaming is still small in comparison to its other budgets, Greg Peters is still optimistic, stating, “A significant part of that market faces issues like new player acquisition or low-friction discovery and play—areas we are well positioned to improve”. Peters elaborates on how offering interactive gaming experiences for fans of a movie or series does help with audience retention, and builds “synergy that reinforces both mediums—interactive and noninteractive both do better”, which in turn creates more interaction with their services and drives more profit. 

Peters also goes into further detail on Netflix’s Playground app, designed for children in mind, part of the company’s four main areas of focus for their gaming services alongside narrative, puzzle/party, and mainstream games. The intended goal for Playground is to make children’s favorite worlds “come to life” through interactive media, part of Netflix’s longtime focus on children as a “special audience that deserves special care”, says Peters, continuing, “We provide kids with a dedicated experience and parents with tools—ratings, parental controls, PIN controls, etc. Playground extends that philosophy into games. It includes a growing collection of kids’ games in one app so they can navigate between them; fully curated, age-appropriate titles based on beloved shows and movies—think Peppa Pig, Dr. Seuss, Bad Dinosaurs—no ads, no in-app purchases. It also fits kids’ natural viewing habits, as a significant portion already happens on mobile and tablet, and it is all added value included in your membership”