Netflix has announced that it will establish an internal video game studio.
Streaming giant Netflix has made no secret about its ambitions for entering the video game market. It already has games as part of its service, even though many subscribers do not even realize it.
Now the company is taking the next big step: creating an internal video game studio from scratch.
Netflix says that its first studio will get established in Helsinki, Finland. Marko Lastikka will lead as the studio’s director. Lastikka has previous experience at Electronic Arts and Zynga. Netflix says that the new and “deeply engaging original games” will have no ads or in-app purchases.
Why Helsinki?
Netflix says that it chose Helsinki because it is “home to some of the best game talent in the world.” It already has a second game studio, Next Games, which it bought earlier this year. Next Games is also based in Helsinki, so both studios are going to be in the same city. Next Games is responsible for games such as Stranger Things: Puzzle Tale, The Walking Dead: Our World, and The Walking Dead: Our World.
“It’s still early days, and we have much more work to do to deliver a great games experience on Netflix,” the company says. “Creating a game can take years, so I’m proud to see how we’re steadily building the foundation of our games studios in our first year, and look forward to sharing what we produce in the coming years.”
