Netflix’s President of Games, Alain Tascan, anticipates a shift away from traditional gaming consoles, even as industry giants Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo continue advancing new hardware.
The streaming platform’s gaming chief shared his perspective on the future of playstyles in an interview with The Game Business following Netflix’s San Francisco presentation. When questioned about Netflix’s potential entry into console gaming, Tascan expressed doubts about younger audiences prioritizing dedicated gaming hardware.
“We're envisioning a platform-agnostic future,” he explained. “When you observe today’s youth, do eight- or ten-year-olds aspire to own a PlayStation 6? I'm skeptical. This generation expects to engage with content across any digital screen—whether it’s their tablet, phone, or even car display.”
Tascan noted that conventional console gaming revolves around high-fidelity visuals and specialized controllers—concepts he believes may become increasingly niche.
While personally nostalgic for traditional consoles (citing Nintendo’s Wii as a favorite), Tascan’s extensive experience at EA, Ubisoft, and Epic Games informs Netflix’s divergent strategy.
The company has successfully adapted its IPs into games like Stranger Things 3: The Game while also licensing established titles such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition. These are accessible directly through mobile devices—a convenience Netflix intends to expand.
“We’re aggressively reducing friction points,” Tascan emphasized. “Even our subscription model represents a barrier we’re evaluating, as evidenced by our Squid Game: Unleashed trial removing paywalls.”
The executive identified multiple pain points Netflix aims to eliminate: controller availability, hardware costs, and download times—all hurdles his team seeks to minimize.
Despite trimming its AAA gaming ambitions (including closing studios staffed by veteran developers), Netflix reported tripled gaming engagement through 2023. This growth follows initial skepticism when less than 1% of subscribers utilized its gaming offerings.
As traditional console manufacturers prepare next-generation systems—including Nintendo’s imminent Switch 2 reveal—Netflix bets on an alternate future where gaming transcends dedicated hardware entirely.
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