LOS GATOS, Calif.—Faced with growing competition for streaming subscribers, Netflix is continuing its expansion into gaming with a deal to buy game creator Night School Studio.
After hiring Mike Verdu, who worked at Facebook, Electronic Arts and other gaming companies, the deal for Night School Studio further expands its investments in the area.
Founded by Sean Krankel and Adam Hines in 2014, Night School Studio is best known for their critically acclaimed debut game, OXENFREE, Netflix VP of game development Verdu said in a blog.
“We’ll continue working with developers around the world and hiring the best talent in the industry to deliver a great collection of exclusive games designed for every kind of gamer and any level of play,” Verdu said. “Like our shows and films, these games will all be included as part of your Netflix membership — all with no ads and no in-app purchases. Stay tuned for more.”
Adding games to its offerings could help Netflix compete with increased competition from Disney, Warner Bros. and others that have slowed sub growth.
Separately, Netflix has also introduced some mobile game titles on Android to Netflix subs in Spain and Italy and added three new titles to Poland, where it had first launched mobile gaming.
In a blog announcing the acquisition, Night School Studio co-founder Sean Krankel explained that “Netflix gives film, TV, and now game makers an unprecedented canvas to create and deliver excellent entertainment to millions of people. Our explorations in narrative gameplay and Netflix’s track record of supporting diverse storytellers was such a natural pairing. It felt like both teams came to this conclusion instinctively.”
No terms of the deal were disclosed.
