2022 has been a rough year for Netflix so far. The streaming giant has had to deal with a lot of unexpected issues in recent months, and according to new data from its gaming division, things aren't expected to get any better any time soon.
According to Apptopia, an app analytics firm, less than one percent of Netflix's global fanbase currently plays one or more of its games (according to CNBC (opens in a new tab)). Put in much more austere terms, only 1,7 million subscribers have played a video game on Netflix since the official launch of its games section in November 2021.
Netflix can be boosted by the fact that 23,3 million people have downloaded at least one of its games in the last nine months, a figure that represents more than 10% of its subscriber base. However, once fans install the game on their device, very few pick it up and play it.
So what gives? Why is Netflix struggling to convince you and so many others to actually play their games? Unsurprisingly, there are several reasons why Netflix can't persuade subscribers to try out its selection of video games.
The first and perhaps most obvious reason has to do with where Netflix games are available. According to the streamer's own support website (opens in a new tab), users can only play their game titles on compatible mobile devices. This means you can only download and play games on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (running iOS 15 or later) and an Android phone or tablet (running Android 8.0 or later).
Netflix's problem is that the vast majority of its subscribers use the streamer app on their TV. According to data from Finances Online (opens in a new tab), 70% of Netflix's user base streams their content through their televisions. Compare that to only 10% of users who stream the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix shows through their mobile phones, and it's obvious that Netflix is struggling to get people to play its games. Bottom line: They're not available where most subscribers access Netflix content.
Furthermore, Netflix's gaming division simply doesn't have the catalog to attract (and, more importantly, retain) the users who try out its core selection of titles. There are currently 26 titles available on Netflix Games, but while some of them are fun to play, none of these games can be called a "must have".
Of course, there are stars between this number. Stranger Things 1984 and its sister title Stranger Things 3: The Game are tie-in games to the hugely popular Netflix TV series, which is getting a fifth and final season in 2024. Meanwhile, Into the Breach is a fantastic game itself. based on a strategy game, and Poinpy is one of those classic mobile games that will eat up your free time.
Unfortunately for Netflix, though, it can't offer the same exciting AAA titles that Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and other game developers can offer on the Switch, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and game streaming services like Amazon Luna. Right now, Netflix just can't compete with the established elite.
Of course, he has ambitious plans to do so. Netflix wants to double the number of games in its library by the end of 2022 (according to The Washington Post - opens in a new tab)), which will include titles based on its original programming slate, like The Queen's Gambit and Shadow. and Bone. It also acquired three studios to begin its expansion into the gaming business, as well as hiring key industry figures such as former Riot Games head Leanne Loombe and EA executive Mike Vrdu to run its gaming division. .
With no blockbuster titles on its roster, which are still years away as Netflix figures out what users want from its gaming platform (according to Variety (opens in a new tab)), however, Netflix can't stand up to developers and largest game publishers in the world. studies
And then there is the competition from mobile game companies and non-game companies.
Take-Two-owned mobile game studio Zynga helped its parent company's mobile game business grow 41% year-over-year in the second quarter, according to IGN (opens in a new tab) 2022. Zynga is the owner of the Farmville series, as well as other popular titles like Star Wars: Hunters. Combine that with competition from Niantic and its hit game Pokémon Go, Roblox, and more, and Netflix has a lot of work to do in the mobile gaming space.
That's before you consider ridiculously popular social media apps like TikTok. Not only is Netflix competing with other game studios and publishers for people's valuable time, it's also going up against non-game companies in a bid to grab viewers' attention.
Netflix may have suffered significant subscriber losses in recent months, but it can still boast a global subscriber base of 221 million. Still, that's nothing compared to TikTok, which revealed that over a billion people were using TikTok every month in September 2021 (opens in a new tab). According to DemandSage (opens in a new tab), that number jumped to 1390 billion in January 2022. It's not even close to competing with those numbers. With Netflix Games positioned as the leading mobile division, there are plenty of other ways for smartphone users to entertain themselves before most even consider playing a game on the Netflix app.
Of course, it's not over for Netflix Games. The streaming giant will continue to push in this area, slowly building a portfolio of titles that should be worth playing and gradually increasing its player subscriber base. The likes of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo haven't found success overnight, and Netflix Games certainly has the potential to grow even bigger. The arrival of its ad-supported subscription, a level where Netflix could actively promote its in-house gaming content, could also help it get its games in front of more people.
Still, it's an inauspicious start for Netflix Games. It has a ready subscriber base, and even with the variables currently working against it, the streaming company should have been able to attract more than one percent of its fan base to try out its selection of games. Time will tell if this turns out to be a slow start towards an eventual money turn or, like many other recent Netflix projects and productions, Netflix games will be shelved before they have a chance to load. .
For more Netflix-based coverage, check out every new Netflix movie releasing in 2022. Otherwise, read up on the best Netflix documentaries available to stream.
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