It’s official since last July: Netflix will include free video games in its catalog. If the SVOD platform had said it wanted to focus on mobile games, it seems that its ambition does not stop there in view of its new acquisition.
Netflix’s first steps in video games remain small but they are very real: after formalizing the arrival of a video game catalog in July and then launching tests in Poland in August, Netflix continues its momentum by acquiring Night School Studio.
Night School Studio is an American studio (Glendale, California) founded in 2014 and composed of alumni of Telltale or Disney. It notably directed Oxenfree and Afterparty, two games very focused on narration. A choice that therefore appears relevant as explained by Netflix in a press release:
Night School Studios’ stated ambition to redefine the standard of storytelling in games is an inspiration to us. His concern for artistic excellence and his proven experience in the sector make him an invaluable partner as we set out to build together a creative team and a catalog of Netflix games.
That being said, that doesn’t mean Night School Studio is getting tied up in it by joining Netflix. If it indicates that it is an honor to be the first video game studio to join the SVOD platform, it also explains that it can “keep doing what we do, the way we want to while being on the front lines of the world’s largest entertainment platform“.
A statement that translates into the facts, since Night School Studio reports continuing to develop Oxenfree 2 (expected this year on PC, PS5, Switch and PS4).
In addition, Netflix does not intend to stop there: at the end of its press release, it plans to “continue to work with developers around the world and recruit the industry’s top talent to build a collection of exclusive games for players of all types and skill levels“. It promises more information on the subject soon.