Netflix analyzes including advertising and microtransactions in its games.

Bet on Netflix take a place in the sector games grows slowly. But the streaming giant faces an important dilemma: how to start monetizing themwhen he stated from the very beginning that he had no plans to do this.

Reportedly Wall Street MagazineNetflix is ​​considering changing its strategy to start making money from its games. The company has opened internal discussions on the matter, although a final decision has not yet been made.

In any case, various possibilities will already be considered. One of them would be show ads in video games, although this may not be intended for all of your clients. Apparently, Netflix is ​​exploring the possibility of enabling them only for those who subscribe to the basic and ad-supported plan. Thus, they will see advertisements both when watching movies and TV series, and when accessing games from their catalog.

Another alternative would be implement microtransactions. Famous in-app purchases or in-app purchases They can be used to unlock certain elements or features in Netflix games. This method doesn’t sound crazy, as it has become one of the most used in the industry and has proven to be extremely profitable, although it has received quite a bit of criticism from players.

If it moves forward with the second initiative, the streaming platform will also have to consider that Google and Apple will be cutting up to 30% for processing payments through the Play Store and App Store, respectively.

Finally, Netflix would have it in mind charge for access to certain games. Specifically for higher quality or with characteristics bonus. Let’s not forget that the company intends to develop a AAA game for PC, but does not plan to stop there. Last April, he hired Joseph Staten, former creative executive Halo Infinite. The above will be responsible for a top-tier multi-platform game based on an original IP.

Netflix will explore different ways to monetize its games

Since Netflix announced its entry into the gaming sector in 2021, its strategy has been based on providing slow but sure steps. Initially, the platform focused on mobile games, but gradually began to raise the bar in order to attract a wider audience.

In addition to acquiring several companies in the sector, Netflix announced the creation of its own video game studio. Additionally, the company has started extending its offerings to more devices with cloud gamesand even included the updated trilogy Grand Theft Auto. The latest version allows subscribers to access classic Rockstar Games titles such as GTA III, GTA Vice City And GTA San Andreas.

While Netflix says its plan to gain a foothold in the gaming sector is a long-term one, the debate over possible monetization measures could be a landmark one. a decisive change in your strategy. As we indicated at the beginning of the article, the platform has insisted from the very beginning that it does not intend to include advertising content in its catalog. games.

When the company acquired Night School Studio, its first video game studio, in September 2021, Netflix was adamant about the matter. This is how he put it then Mike VerduVice President of Game Development at the company:

“We will continue to work with developers around the world and hire the best talent in the industry to create a large collection of exclusive games designed for every type of player and every level of play. Just like our shows and movies, all of these video games will be included with your Netflix membership. no ads or in-app purchases“.

Although the reality is that Netflix’s overall strategy has changed since then. Verdu’s comments come as the streaming service He has not yet considered running advertisements in his films or TV series.. However, the situation changed more than a year ago. So it makes sense that the video games section could undergo a similar transformation in terms of monetization.

Despite its strong commitment to gaming, Netflix has yet to achieve attract the attention of the masses its users. As already mentioned WSJ, before last October, less than 1% of the service’s subscribers worldwide used games daily. Thus, interest has remained virtually unchanged since August 2022.