Why Netflix Is Right to Chase Gaming Platform Expansion

Nearly two years following Netflix’s push into gaming, the streamer now lets subscribers play nearly 70 mobile games, thanks to additions like “The Queen’s Gambit Chess” and “Sonic Prime Dash” released last month. But even with this growing library, it’s still early days yet for Netflix’s foray into gaming, recently evidenced by the minimal mention of games in the streamer’s latest earnings report. Netflix hasn’t gone all out in gaming yet, remaining focused for now on mobile users and regularly releasing casual puzzle-based games not tied to its original intellectual property. 

Netflix has worked to target a broader set of gamers over the years thanks to an increasing number of ambitious releases (evidenced by the immersive “Laya’s Horizon” and British Academy of Film and Television Arts winner “Before Your Eyes”), but our data suggests there’s an opportunity for it to take this a step further. 

Morning Consult Brand Intelligence data shows that total buzz for Netflix among gamers has consistently been higher than that of the general population. Drilling down to types of gamers, buzz among console gamers was higher than that of mobile gamers in every month between January and July 2023. Total buzz among PC gamers has also been generally higher than that among mobile gamers.

This suggests an underserved audience of dedicated gamers: Those focused on PC and console gaming are more likely to hear about Netflix’s gaming efforts than the mobile-focused ones, but can’t test new titles on their preferred platforms. 

There have been signs Netflix is considering expanding its games offering to TV sets and PCs, but those plans may be delayed or even abandoned as Hollywood giants prioritize profits in the near term. Even though there’s likely not yet a meaningful portion of consumers subscribing to Netflix just for games, the streamer will eventually need more than just TV junkies to become less vulnerable to future production stoppages. To win over this new group, Netflix should avoid prolonging a meaningful cross-platform play. 

This memo utilizes data from Morning Consult Brand Intelligence, our flagship platform that every day asks thousands of consumers about core metrics for over 4,000 brands and products around the world. MCBI subscribers can further explore the data here. To learn more about MCBI, request a demo here.