With the exception of Nintendo, there’s no question Sony is gaming’s market leader – but its position is not going unopposed. Microsoft recently spent almost $70 billion on Activision Blizzard in order to bolster its competitive situation, while the likes of Amazon and even Apple are eyeing the space with cautious interest. The Japanese giant can’t rest on its laurels, then, and it looks like it’s going to face stiff competition from an unlikely contender in Netflix moving forwards.
Those of you who subscribe to the streaming service will know that members can already download a selection of mobile titles, and according to the Wall Street Journal, this catalogue is set to get even stronger moving forwards. The company is working on big-budget adaptations of some of its hit shows, like Squid Game and Wednesday. In fact, you may recall that Santa Monica Studio’s art director was fairly recently headhunted by the firm.
But it’s not going to end there: according to the aforementioned outlet, Netflix has been in conversation with Take-Two to secure access to the impressively popular Grand Theft Auto franchise. It’s unclear whether it’s looking to line up a new title, or if it simply wants to make previous releases – like, for example, San Andreas – available to its subscribers. Either way, if it could get any of the Rockstar titles onto its platform, it’d be seen as an incredible coup.
Of course, the rival’s biggest bottleneck right now is that it’s not a traditional console, but it’s already exploring streaming technology to help deliver high-end games to those without the requisite hardware. The organisation may have difficulty converting console players, however, as right now its titles use smartphones as an input method. Still, Sony will be keeping a close eye on developments – after all, anything that pulls players away from PlayStation is a problem.
[source wsj.com]
Comments 40
I'm sure this will interest people who already have access to the service (I'm picturing parents looking for something to keep their kids occupied when they run out of shows to watch), but without an exclusive must play title I personally won't give it too much thought.
As a rule - If a platform has three exclusive titles I can't live without I'll jump in. Otherwise I'm happy to watch and wait.
Yeah if they're gonna lock something like GTA behind a streaming service then they can kiss my ass.
There is so many billions to be made in gaming, whoever you are, you will always continually be having to watch your back.
Other companies want a piece of that pie and sometimes all the pie.
@Shepherd_Tallon I agree about exclusives for a console, but I think one clear difference with Netflix is that it plays on devices we already own. Phones, tablets etc. That's means there isn't the same £300-£500 barrier to entry which holds console gaming back from the masses. That potentially gives them a big advantage.
Honestly I think Netflix gaming isn't bad at all right now for a 'Free'/included service. But they are TERRIBLE at advertising their games service. Even as an avid gamer I only recently found out how many good games are included if you already subscribe to Netflix. E.g. Immortality, Into the Breach, Kentucky Route Zero, TMNT: Shredders revenge, Oxenfree 1&2, Valiant Hearts, Before your Eyes and more on top of the more mobile experiences. Not massive glitzy AAA bangers, but just decent games that will run on most phones. I expect this to grow.
I realise that isn't going to be a popular view amongst us enthusiast gamers here, but i've found it to be a good ADDITIONAL service, on top of what I already have and could see it being good for the masses.
As for the typical criticisms... Don't like touch controls? just use your PS pad via Bluetooth. Don't like playing on a small screen? You can output your phone or tablet to a TV. Together it plays like a lower powered console just like the Switch docked and you can continue playing when you go.
I don’t mind if Netflix get into gaming.
BUT
If they acquire any developers and lock their games behind their streaming service, even though I’m on that streaming service, I won’t play their games anymore. I just cannot handle streaming in games.
So let’s hope they don’t go down the exclusivity route.
@themightyant Oh don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with it, and the convenience of it is definitely appealing, as you pointed out. They're definitely taking a better approach than Google did too. I just see it being, for the most part, popular with a different demographic and not really having a major impact on the console market.
A service like this sits in the same headspace as mobile gaming for me in that it could be less of a case of it eating in to the existing market and more of a growing the market scenario.
Just speculation of course. For all I know in 5 years PlayStation could be making games for Netflix.
Edit: I will say that I only use Netflix for anime and Star Trek, so if my sub goes up over this I... most likely won't do a damn thing about it.
Though disappointed to see indie studio Night School get bought out by Netflix,(liked Oxenfree), this is also the same Netflix that as most movie studios have all gone to chasing their own streaming services has left them with so-so reboots of shows bearing little resemblance to their originals,or shows that even if good get cancelled after a season or two. (Dark Crystal, sigh!)
The bigger concern might come if the likes of Apple,Amazon,etc.,decide to either go head to head with Microsoft's buying spree,or in theory could afford a takeover bid of Sony itself.
No one is playing GTA (or other huge AAA games) on a mobile phone, that will be their biggest mistake and probably be their downfall.
@Shepherd_Tallon Completely agree. The only concern would be if it grew and grew, especially to the point you could come home plug in your phone and start playing FIFA / Fortnite etc. does it then start to eat into the more casual crowd of console gamers. Most non-enthusiast gamers don't care about graphics and framerate, they care if they can play it and cost. It's easy for us to lose sight of that in out bubble.
That is great news for us consumers! More competition means better prices and games.
more competition is good for industry.
@themightyant
I was just reading that Netflix have opened their own studio and they're working on a title for the service, to give them credit.
Still, I feel like a new, presumably successful service of this kind won't be too disruptive. It could simply result in the likes of Game Pass and PS Plus upping their game. That's my first thought when I hear news like this - Pressure Sony in to giving me more, put Plus on my Bravia, etc etc.
This all sounds familiar too. Remember when mobile was going to kill consoles? Even Yoshida was saying that there might not be a PS5 because of mobile gaming. But life goes on.
I hope Netflix are successful though. I feel like the hype for subs has faded in the past few years, but, they're taking a less obnoxious approach to gaming than Google did so for that alone they get some respect.
Well with ABK 'streaming' rights now with Ubisoft, that enables Netflix, Apple, Google etc as well as Sony of course, to have access to all ABK games to be available to those 'giants' too to help them set-up and compete with the 'established' giants of gaming.
That could mean the likes of CoD, Diablo, Overwatch, WoW, Crash, Spyro etc will end up on Netflix too to bolster their Streaming content and help them Establish themselves as a Gaming supplier/hub.
@Shepherd_Tallon Yes. And they already bought some studios like Night School Studio (developers of Oxenfree) but didn't make their games exclusive. Though to be fair they don't have the market to do that yet, this could change if they got a foothold.
But generally I agree that while there will ALWAYS be concerns with things like this it is more likely to have a net-positive effect and drive others, like Sony, to do better.
Do these Netflix games even run natively on tvs/phones or are streamed? I have a hard time believing they could optimise AAA games to run on every mobile device out there or even worse, on TVs which have SOCs weaker than the weakest smartphone out there.
@UltimateOtaku91 Netflix have a beta running for games on TV now so it looks like they are expanding. I can currently play two games via netflix on my TV. You still need to use your mobile as a controller though but it seems to work pretty well.
@Kevw2006 Is any of those games a AAA made in the curent decade or just indie games? Indies I could see working.
@Sil_Am It's Oxenfree and Molehew's Mining Adventure so certainly not AAA at the moment.
@Kevw2006 For indies or some party games I can see that working, but for full AAA or AA console games that require a full controller button set I could see being a nightmare to play on a phone. But games where you just swipe the screen or have a few buttons on the phone screen to press would work well.
I'm not logging into Netflix to play a video game. There's literally other things to do in life.
Oh hell no. I play GTA on pc or console not on a streaming app. But meh this new price rise I'm cancelling my subscription.
I have no problem with Netflix getting into gaming, but I DO have a major problem with games potentially becoming streaming-only. I detest any sort of service that completely removes the last bits of game ownership that are currently left to us.
I'm fine with it if it's both available for streaming and for purchases on any local hardware, doesn't matter which one. But only on a streaming sub? No, that is a future I'm dreading and I hope it never happens.
@Majk_SVK not necessarily. They could simply buy several studios and make their games exclusive on Netflix. So if you want to play x game, you you a ps5, z game a switch, y game, an xbox series whatever, and the list goes on. Add Netflix to the mix and it only gets worse.
Competition is good but things are starting to get messy. We could end up needing 7 different platforms just to play our favourite games. The future of gaming has never looked more bleak imo.
"With the exception of Nintendo, there’s no question Sony is gaming’s market leader"
You probably meant "console gaming". Because you'd most likely need to add Valve, Epic, Unity, nVidia and AMD to the list of exceptions.
Maybe they're not talking about videogames, maybe they're talking about a Netflix adaptation... which, come to think of it, is actually even worse... Ugh
Sony is video games biggest market leader.netflix aint got no chance against the g.o.a.t. 🐐 👑 sony.word up son
Netflix's Castlevania
The game based on the show based on the game!
@Gbarsotini lol those idiot writers 🤦
If they take it easy, unlike what Google did, I think they'll be fine, but I don't see Netflix ever being in the same league with Sony, or hell even Microsoft.
"We want to join the gaming scene and we want to do it by buying up studios."
No. Get out.
I wouldn't mind if Netflix becomes a third party publisher. But if they buy out big companies and make them exclusive to Netflix, then I'll see this as a problem.
Sounds like they took a look at Google Stadia and said "lets do that."
That's a bold strategy, Cotton!
So with Disney and Netflix and many others trying to secure content for its platform, maybe there was lot’s of truth in MS saying they aren’t not competing directly with Sony and Nintendo. MS obviously wants good content for PC/Mobile and Cloud. ABK provides that. The more this info comes out the more we are seeing what the overall look of competition in the gaming space is going to look like. PS and Nintendo are all set in being leaders in console. But that’s around 100-120 million users. MS, and many other tech companies are looking at ways to get games in the hands of 100’s of millions of players with their install products they currently have. So content is king, with that said ABK had lot’s of phone calls for it and facebook was the leading candidate until MS got it. Not trying to make anyone feel or look at the ABK differently, i know everyone will complain about it. But this is what is going on and MS had two choices, fall even further behind in gaming or spend big. Gaming is in a big change at the moment and it looks like this won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
This is why I never understood the yelling from gamers who say
"I don't buy a console for movies, shows etc. I buy it for games."
They know dang well when they're done playing a game on PS5 they just launch Netflix directly on their PS5, and then watch Netflix via their PS5 lol.
This is why Sony brought the 'Sony Pictures Core' --formerly Bravia Core, to the PS5.
Sony understands markets, consumer behavior, their competitors strategies, and is responding appropriately. They may possibly (although unlikely) begin to bring their shows and direct to streaming movies they produce for Netflix, paramount+, peacock etc directly to the PS5 through that app. That way they can maximize and get the most out of their franchises. That may not materialize, but if they are being strong armed by their competitors there's an opening for them to have an alternative solution .
For example, if twisted metal, god of war, last of us isnt renewed on Peacock, Amazon Prime, or Max (HBO Max) then they can release it on PS5.
Gamers don't understand this because all they know is how to game.
Sony was smart when they said theyd invest $18 billion across all of Sony in movies/tv, music, and gaming. While gamers were upset and thought they should spend it all on a single publisher Sony understood what was going on years ago and did this to ensure they can remain fully competitive. They said it best in PR when they said what Microsoft was saying and doing was all "Smokes and mirrors".
@TechGuyChris well said. How quickly some forget that the best-selling DVD player (and best-selling home video media device ever produced) was... the PS2.
Sony made video games and multimedia entertainment inseparable, starting with the PS1. There are still some audiophiles today who swear by OG PS1 consoles as being the among the best audio CD players you can buy.
They look to be Microsoft's rivals more than Sony's.
Microsoft are the ones that are trying to monopolise gaming streaming. If netfix jumped in that, it would be a hindrance to them.
With that said, i don't think streaming games will ever be a big thing. There is just too much delay and every frame matters in gaming.
There plenty of talent out there at the minute. Now is the time to probably start investing in new studios an talent for existing studios.
So lemme get this straight: Netflix, offering Take-Two to limit one of their biggest cash cow franchises to a limited userbase expected to stream this franchise AND control it with a phone touchscreen?
This is why I rarely even bother to parody this kind of "journalism". I couldn't make up this magnitude of stuff if I tried!
Just what we DONT need, yet another seperate company trying to poach ***** without putting in any effort, making ***** exclusive..
This exclusive ***** is KILLING ME!
They arent doing anyone any favors including themselves, people arent gonna buy all consoles. People arent gonna run a subscription on all these companies, maybe 1. Usually netflix. And even with netflix most people i know that had it have stopped their subscription and just download what they want to see. For free.
Games as well, hacked steam libraries etc..
Its not difficult to set up AT ALL so why on earth would anyone pay like $150 a year PER subscription..?
Besides that; NO ONE wants games on netflix, EVERYONE would rather see the subscription price drop than having to pay for something youre not gonna use anyway.
Are they trying to set up their business like an insurance company. .?
Oh yeah, people love those... -_-'
These companies really do see us as nothing but walking wallets, lacking a brain and basic logic reasoning... dont give them anything.
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