Netflix Game Installs have Rocketed by 180%

In 2021, Netflix announced that they would be taking gaming very seriously. They ventured into a new business, with hopes of dominating the mobile market. At the time, the mobile market was saturated with titles that were either ad-supported or pay-to-play.

Netflix wanted to change the game by making their titles free to play, without any advertisements or options for in-app purchases. The gamble may finally be paying off, as at the end of 2023, they announced that gaming downloads were up 180%. 81.2 million downloads have been initiated across the world, with the fourth quarter of 2023 accounting for over 53%.

Netflix began with making a small catalogue of casual games, based on some of their many hit shows and originals. They then began to acquire game studios, including Night School Studios in 2021. They then acquired Next Games from Finland and Spry Fox. They aimed to develop a strong portfolio of content that catered to both different tastes and genre preferences.

The Advancement of Smartphone Technology

One driving factor behind Netflix’s success would be the advancement of smartphone technology. Casino gaming in particular has benefited from this, with it being on the rise across the world.

Players can now access their favourite games on the go while taking advantage of unparalleled flexibility and convenience. Canada in particular is experiencing huge growth right now, with the live casino Canada market set to reach US$2.61bn in 2024. The strong gaming market has led to Netflix testing their program in Canada, as well as the UK.

The streaming giant is also working on game mirroring so that their titles can be played both on TVs and PCs. As the company looks to cloud gaming as being its next frontier, they are gaining a huge amount of traction. Their recent announcements have helped to bolster their game downloads, encouraging them to adopt more popular titles.

Netflix Subscriptions and Game Access

Netflix’s move into the gaming sector is also helping to support their streaming numbers. As the gaming platform is tied in with the subscription, month-over-month downloads tripled.

Those who had a subscription already had access to the latest games and gamers had access to a wide range of originals and shows. Right now, action is the top gaming genre for Netflix, with the second being lifestyle gaming. Puzzle comes in at number 3, with game rotations set to happen throughout the year.

Netflix is also working on making games based on the shows that they have created, with licensing acquired for titles that do not relate to Netflix programming.

One thing to take note of is that Netflix’s boom in gaming came after months of stagnation. This could indicate that Netflix has to keep releasing regular titles so that it can keep its momentum.

Last year, they released 40 games, while testing gameplay on TVs across the UK, US and Canada. This year, personalisation looks to be the main focus, with suggestions being made based on previous gaming preferences. This feature will become more prominent, as more titles are added.