Netflix is seriously considering its own cloud gaming platform, said the company’s VP of games, Mike Verdu at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference on Tuesday (through protocol). Netflix jumped massively into gaming last year with its mobile game lineup, but the company apparently wants to leverage its overall data streaming expertise to let people play games over the cloud.
“We are looking very seriously into a cloud gaming offering so we can reach members on TVs and PCs,” Verdu said. “We are going to approach this in the same way as with mobile: start small, be humble, be attentive and then expand. But it’s a step we think we need to take to meet members where they are on the devices they use Netflix on.”
Netflix believes it can succeed where Google failed because of how cloud gaming would add “value” to Netflix’s business model, Verdu argued. “We’re not asking you to subscribe as a console replacement, so it’s a very different business model,” he said. “The hope is that over time it will just become this very natural way to play games wherever you are.” Verdu also said Netflix is opening a new gaming studio in California headed by Chacko Sonny, who has resigned from his role as executive producer. overwatch at Activision Blizzard last year.