Netflix: Kids Choose Streaming Over Gaming

Netflix's President of Games, Alain Tascan, envisions a future where gaming relies less on consoles, even as giants like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo continue advancing their hardware.

The head of the streaming service's gaming division shared his perspective on how players may soon access their favorite titles in an interview with The Game Business following a Netflix presentation in San Francisco. When asked if Netflix itself plans to venture into console development, Tascan expressed doubt that younger generations are even intrigued by what a PlayStation 6 might offer.

"Look at the younger generation. Are eight-year-olds and ten-year-olds dreaming of owning a PlayStation 6? I'm not so sure."

He elaborated, "With consoles, we're looking ahead to a platform-agnostic future. Are today's eight and ten-year-olds really aspiring to own a PlayStation 6? I have my doubts. They expect to engage with digital content on any screen, anywhere—even in the car. Traditional console thinking revolves around high-definition graphics and specialized controllers [...] Clinging to that older model would only limit our potential."

Despite his reservations, Tascan acknowledged a personal fondness for console gaming, singling out Nintendo's Wii as a particular favorite. With a background that includes roles at EA, Ubisoft, and Epic Games, he's deeply familiar with traditional game development. For Netflix, however, the strategy is clearly shifting in another direction.

While Netflix has successfully adapted its own IP into games—such as Stranger Things 3: The Game and Too Hot to Handle: Love Is a Game—it has also experimented with offering established titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition. Subscribers can play these directly on mobile devices, and as Tascan emphasized, Netflix plans to intensify this approach by developing party games and becoming a go-to hub for kids and family gaming.

"I'm passionate about minimizing friction wherever we can," he told The Game Business. "Even the subscription itself introduces some friction. While it's a sensible business model, we tested removing it for [the mobile game] Squid Game: Unleashed and may conduct further experiments."

"Then there's the issue of having enough controllers for the whole family, the cost of hardware, and waiting for games to download—each of these adds friction," he added.

He continued, "Ensuring every family member has a controller, affording potentially expensive hardware, and enduring download times—these are all obstacles. I'm constantly asking how we can eliminate or reduce them as much as possible."

Netflix announced in early 2024 that gaming engagement had tripled during 2023, signaling ongoing investment in the sector. This comes after a 2021 CNBC report indicated that less than 1% of subscribers were using its gaming services. In October 2024, the company scaled back some of its ambitions, closing a AAA studio led by veterans from Overwatch, Halo, and God of War. A recent Game Developer report also noted that cuts had affected Oxenfree creator Night School Studio, which Netflix acquired in 2021.

As Netflix positions itself for a market it expects to show limited interest in traditional consoles, there's little indication that Sony or Microsoft will slow their own hardware roadmaps. Nintendo, meanwhile, stands on the brink of a new console generation with its eagerly awaited Switch 2. The company will reveal more about the system in an upcoming Direct presentation, where fans anticipate details on new features, release timing, and pre-order availability.