Netflix is in a constant state of doing that bit from the finale of Blackadder where the eponymous character stuffs pencils up his nose and sticks a pair of knickers on his head. Between anti-consumer decisions (like cracking down on password sharing) to canceling great shows in their prime (like Inside Job—still mad about that not getting a third season), it’s easy to see why I’ve been worried about gaming subscriptions potentially following its path.
However, references to old British sitcoms aside, it looks like the gun’s already been jumped by Netflix itself; the video streaming service has increasingly been trying to get into the videogame market. Not only are there a range of mobile games available for you weirdos that watch Netflix on their phone (like, it makes sense, but it just doesn’t seem like ‘phone’ entertainment, y’know?), it’s trying to hit the console/PC market with a whopping two available games. Sure this is all beta stuff, but considering that (according to GameIndustry.biz) fewer than 1% of users are playing these games, it might be worth throwing in the towel before the entertainment giant starts with its usual meddling.
(Un)Exclusive Club
Let’s look at the bigger games Netflix is putting forward, because I’m not much of a mobile gamer (though 77 of them is no shabby catalogue). One is Oxenfree, a game released in 2016 that’s going for less than a tenner everywhere else. It’s liked enough, sure, but it’s no exclusive. The game Netflix has as an exclusive is Molemew’s Mining Adventure. Now, doing these articles for almost a year has given me an ear for a juicy title and that ain’t quite it. I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, though, so I gave it a play.
It’s Peggle.
It’s just Peggle.
If you’ve ever been in a situation like mine, where backwards-compatibility for PopCap Hits Vol. 1 installs Peggle on your machine for no apparent reason, then you may be familiar with it. It’s a semi-popular PopCap game where you have a limited number of balls to shoot at a screen of objects to hit and obstacles to break. It’s a fairly simple concept that I’m surprised lacks clones as much as it does. Molemew answers that demand with a game that’s pretty much just Peggle. Same core gameplay, same UI, same lack of story etc. It’s Peggle with a grimy resolution and an unforgivably forgettable art style. It’s not entirely a carbon copy—there are some different mechanics and no checkpoints between levels, making it more arcade-style than its spiritual predeccesor—but it’s certainly not anything to write home about. It has the vibe of those bonus-feature minigames on film discs, and I doubt it’s selling anyone on Netflix as a games platform.
Fine, I’ll look at the mobile games.
I’ll be honest, I’m not really impressed on that front either. Looking through them, there’s a pretty generic mix of puzzle, point-and-click, and quasi-dating-sim games you’d normally see on the App Store. The advantage is that in-app purchases and ads have been removed, which is a nice touch. It’s also more curated than other mobile marketplaces, though that bar is practically subterranean. A subscription model could be a really good thing for mobile games considering they’re often much smaller experiences and could benefit from a more regulated selection. If Netflix wants to be serious about games, this would be the best avenue.
More Like Could-You-Not-Flix
Therein lies the rub, however: I don’t think Netflix should get into games on principle. Not only do the stats back me up regarding audience disinterest, it’s just not where their focus should be right now. The service is trying to cast a wide net rather than improving what they already have. Its library of shows and films is constantly being meddled with, good shows are getting the axe in a constant pursuit of ratings, and its falling behind the competition in an era when streaming is more popular than ever before. The industry is bloated with streaming services, and trying to rope in another burgeoning market into one subscription is a recipe for disaster.
Just imagine Netflix running something like Game Pass or Switch Online; whatever you think of them, I doubt Netflix could do better or even come close. Games would be dropping into the ether like flies! The company’s gusto for greenlighting and canceling projects is a very ill fit for a medium with such complex development cycles. I am making some assumptions, of course, but Netflix’s act-before-you-think attitude gives me a confident lack of confidence in it.
Given the likelihood for Netflix to drop something if it doesn’t constantly top the charts (again, RIP Inside Job), though, I doubt the service will go much further with at least non-mobile initiatives. Time will tell if Netflix decides to go all in, but I’d far rather it didn’t.
Oxenfree
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
- Developer(s)
- Night School Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Night School Studio