Inside an workplace in Hollywood, not removed from the Stroll of Fame and the Sundown Bronson Studios, Netflix government Alain Tascan revealed new content material coming quickly to the platform — however it’s not a TV present or a film. It’s a brand new sport the place U.S. viewers compete to win 1000’s of {dollars}.
The sport present, known as “Best Guess Live,” will run on weekdays at 5 p.m. PT, the place hosts Howie Mandel and Hunter March will unveil a set of 5 clues. Cellular sport gamers tune in to make their greatest guesses. The sooner they’ll guess appropriately with fewer clues, the upper the possibilities they’ll win extra of the prize cash. The present, filmed in Van Nuys, is Netflix’s try at appointment gaming for its viewers of greater than 700 million viewers.
“Can you imagine where you not only can go and play a game, but you could win a life-changing amount of money each and every day, and it takes no time, it’s easy, and you just have your phone?” mentioned Mandel, extensively identified for his internet hosting activates NBC’s “Deal or No Deal” and “America’s Got Talent.”
The objective is to make enjoying video games on Netflix “as simple as streaming a movie on a Friday, using the same innovative mindset that led Netflix to transform itself from a company shipping DVDs to streaming movies, shows and now games,” Tascan mentioned.
Netflix has been investing in its video games vertical for the final 4 years, with combined outcomes. Final month, the streamer’s co-CEO Greg Peters gave the corporate’s gaming efforts a B- grade. Underneath Tascan’s management, the division has targeted on some key areas, together with narratives based mostly on Netflix applications, video games for youngsters, social occasion video games and mainstream titles like “Grand Theft Auto.”
The modifications look like working. The variety of downloads for Netflix video games has elevated 17% to 74.8 million from January to October of this 12 months in comparison with the identical interval in 2024, in line with information from app analytics agency Appfigures. The corporate can also be releasing fewer video games, including 16 titles this 12 months in comparison with 35 final 12 months, Appfigures mentioned.
Netflix declined to touch upon the Appfigures information.
The corporate has additionally eliminated video games partly as a result of low buyer engagement. Netflix has launched 142 video games, with 78 of them nonetheless energetic as of October, in line with Appfigures.
Its two hottest cellular video games have been launched on Netflix within the final two years, together with “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” which got here on the platform in December 2023 and achieved 44 million downloads. The streamer launched an unique, the multiplayer occasion royale title “Squid Game: Unleashed,” final 12 months with 21 million downloads. The sport had tie-ins to the favored sequence’ second season the place gamers may earn money or wild tokens within the sport in the event that they watched a sure variety of episodes.
Some analysts say there’s nonetheless room for enchancment.
Journalists take part in a video games demo at a Netflix workplace on Wednesday.
(Netflix)
“It still seems pretty experimental,” mentioned Ross Benes, senior analyst at analysis agency Emarketer. “I don’t get the impression that they are on gamers’ list of their go-to sources of entertainment.”
On Thursday, Netflix mentioned its first slate of 5 video games for the TV, together with Tetris Time Warp, Boggle Get together, Pictionary: Recreation Evening and LEGO Get together! at the moment are accessible. Previous to the brand new slate, subscribers may solely play Netflix video games on their cellular gadgets.
When shoppers load up the TV video games, they may see a QR code they’ll scan on their gadgets and use them as controllers within the sport. For instance in Netflix’s model of Pictionary, customers draw on their telephones.
“A big switch in the strategy is really to make sure that we are eliminating any friction that somebody can encounter when they want to play,” Tascan mentioned in an interview. “We believe that on TV, in particular, where people enjoy their different shows, is the best place to offer something very easily approachable.”
The TV video games are the newest iteration in Netflix’s effort that started 4 years in the past. The corporate had beefed up its workers after buying 4 gaming companies — Glendale-based Evening College, Boss Combat Leisure out of Allen, Texas, Finland-based Subsequent Video games and Spry Fox based mostly in Seattle.
Netflix shut down Boss Combat Leisure final month.
The gaming division efforts have been first led by Mike Verdu, a former Fb and Digital Arts government. He later transitioned to a task specializing in remodeling sport growth and participant experiences with generative AI in November 2024 and left Netflix earlier this 12 months. Tascan, a former government at Epic Video games, was named Netflix’s president of video games in July 2024.
Video games has been a pretty space of funding for some corporations, as youthful audiences spend quite a lot of time enjoying titles like Roblox, Fortnite and Name of Responsibility. Tascan estimates there are 3 billion avid gamers on the planet and with Netflix having an viewers of greater than 700 million individuals, “the Venn diagram is pretty large.”
The streamer on Thursday additionally introduced new cellular video games for teenagers, together with digital coloring guide “Barbie Color Creations” and a hairstyling sport, “Toca Boca Hair Salon 4.”
It may be difficult for corporations to get into the house. For instance, in 2023, Google shut down its gaming service Stadia after it failed to realize traction with customers.
Tascan mentioned Netflix just isn’t competing towards conventional gaming consoles however is seeking to innovate and discover new methods to achieve its prospects.
Tascan mentioned he’s inspired by the reactions he has seen.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” he mentioned. “But at the end, how many people are going to have the same reaction? We are a company driven by data, and our main data is, how many people are going to engage?”
Tascan mentioned he thinks will probably be a number of quick years earlier than Netflix turns into the Netflix of video games. He hopes the division can enhance from Peters’ grade of a B- to a better degree.
“What I hope is, by the end of the year, we’ll upgrade to an A, hopefully A+,” Tascan mentioned.
