The Game(s) of Netflix: Exploring the Entertainment Functions of Digital Games as Part of the Company's Content Strategy

Netflix's integration of games into its subscription service, initiated in November 2021, represents a strategic move to solidify its position within the broader entertainment industry. This initiative aligns with a new phase of media convergence characterized by content fusion, driven by intense competition for user attention. The company's long-standing engagement with video games, including adaptations of popular game franchises and interactive audiovisual experiences, underscores this strategic direction.

The study investigates how Netflix's game catalog fulfills various entertainment functions—compensations, gratifications, and self-realization—and how these complement its existing audiovisual content. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a data-driven analysis of 48 games released by Netflix through December 31, 2022, utilizing SensorTower for data collection on genres, release dates, downloads, age ratings, and links to audiovisual content. This was supplemented by a thematic analysis through analytical play, where researchers critically examined game experiences in relation to Netflix's broader entertainment strategy.

Findings indicate that Netflix's primary strategy for games currently focuses on basic interactive entertainment to enhance the perceived value of the subscription. While transmedia, branded content, and third-party licensing strategies are emerging, their full impact on value perception is still developing. Games are positioned as a micro-strategy within Netflix's overarching goal to entertain and retain users, appealing to casual players and fans of specific intellectual properties. The shift towards offering mobile content free from in-app purchases, microtransactions, or advertising also suggests potential future changes in the mobile gaming landscape.