Netflix's gaming expansion to start with mobile

Washington: Netflix recently revealed that it will expand into video games, starting with ad-free games for mobile devices like phones and tablets that it'll offer on its existing subscriptions at no additional cost.

As per The Verge, the company announced the news on Tuesday as a part of its second-quarter earnings report. The announcement comes just days after the company said it hired former EA and Oculus exec Mike Verdu to head up its gaming work.

"We're also in the early stages of further expanding into games, building on our earlier efforts around interactivity (eg, Black Mirror Bandersnatch) and our Stranger Things games," the company said.

"We view gaming as another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV. Games will be included in members' Netflix subscription at no additional cost similar to films and series," Netflix added.

"Initially, we'll be primarily focused on games for mobile devices," the company further said, revealing its plan of gaming expansion.

There are currently no details on what types of games will actually be available, though Netflix recently extended its TV deal with Shonda Rhimes to include feature films and gaming content. There's also no word on how games will be delivered to Netflix subscribers.

The company has acknowledged in the past that it competes with games for time and attention, with co-CEO Reed Hastings writing that "we compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO" in 2019.

COO Greg Peters discussed the company's interest in games in April (PDF) as part of its first-quarter earnings. And the company has already dipped its toes into gaming with experiences like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Carmen Sandiego.

But with the recent hiring of Verdu and the new information shared on Tuesday about its initial plans, now it seems like Netflix is more focused on games than ever.