Netflix hires Oculus and EA executives for potential game offerings

Netflix has hired a former executive from Electronic Arts and the Oculus part of Facebook. According to Bloomberg, that is part of Netflix’s plan to do more with games on its own streaming platform.

According to Bloomberg Mike Verdu’s move to Netflix is ​​part of a plan to offer games next year, with the medium saying it will rely on a source familiar with the plans. The games will appear alongside the current content as a new genre. Netflix would not yet have plans to charge a higher monthly fee for this additional content. According to the source, the company would like to further expand the game team in the coming months, which also seems to be supported by vacancies on Netflix’s site, such as the function Director of Product Innovation, Interactive.

Netflix probably attracted Verdu because of his experience in the gaming sector. He was previously a vice president at Facebook, working with developers like BigBox VR to bring games to Oculus’ VR headsets. He was also responsible for EA Mobile for a year, where he worked on mobile games in the game series of the Sims and Star Wars, among others.

The streaming service has been focusing on interactive features and content from and about the game world for some time. Interactive shows like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Carmen Sandiego can be mentioned in that context. Also, for example, Netflix has licensed a Stranger Things game for mobile devices. There are also the necessary game-related documentaries on the platform, in addition to a series such as The Witcher, which may also be partly based on the games.