Netflix Is Working On Live Service Mobile Games

Netflix could be seeking to develop live service games, according to a job posting on Linkedin. The company is seeking a Senior Producer for their Live Operations team with years of experience developing and shipping live service titles. Netflix has been expanding its offerings in gaming, launching mobile games within its Netflix subscription back in 2021. 

Netflix offers mobile games that are free to play with every Netflix subscription. Netflix plans to expand its internal gaming services and is likely seeking to avoid the same failures Google made with its Stadia program, which was shut down due to low users. Live service seems like the next step for Netflix, which does not generate revenue directly from gaming. 

This role will focus on our Live Service Games from a production perspective, managing live games, including roadmaps, scoping, dependencies and release of content updates. You will manage Live Service Production with external development partners across a slate of multiple titles. You will take the lead as an external developer’s primary point of contact, working with developers on creation of project and milestone schedules, as well as post launch content update planning, and overall development plans; provide ongoing management check and balance throughout the full live operations of the title, from launch onwards.” 

More specific requirements are listed below, with preferred experience for those experienced in mobile gaming live service, and having experience with shipping such games. Since this posting is a senior-level position, Netflix is likely ramping up its internal game development. Whether or not these live service experiences come to current games or will be a part of future titles is unknown.

This is not Netflix’s first foray into live service content. This posting is for mobile games, and in the past, it was reported that Netflix was also developing a live service AAA multi-platform title. Since Netflix already offers mobile games, it seems like live service mobile titles are more near-term than a full AAA game from Netflix.

The posting is for the company’s external games team, which likely interacts with external, third-party developers, however, the job posting makes many references to what seems like internal developers and studios, such as “our team and developers”. The candidate would also be responsible for live service strategy in the company’s gaming pipeline. 

Netflix Games currently has very low penetration, with less than 1% of Netflix subscribers playing its games. We know from prior job postings that Netflix is also building up its internal studios to develop first-party games, and could also be developing AAA games for PC as well. Netflix is in the media and entertainment business, and gaming is the largest market in media, so it makes sense for Netflix to expand into gaming.

The way Netflix’s games work is if you have Netflix on a mobile device, such as a tablet or a cell phone, you can download a separate app for each game that Netflix has available. Netflix currently has a wide selection of offerings, such as games based on its own intellectual property such as Stranger Things and Squid Game, and other exclusive titles as well.

Mobile gaming is the largest gaming market and is the main gaming market in which Netflix competes. Will they be able to expand their gaming offerings and attract new players that are willing to pay for microtransactions in their mobile games, or will Netflix Games go the way of Google Stadia? Time will tell, but Netflix is determined to make its mark in gaming.