Netflix (NFLX) has been slowly and quietly working to establish itself as a content streaming and mobile game designer.
The streaming service's branch into the world of mobile games seems like a good idea. After all, Netflix is home to several popular intellectual properties like "Squid Game", "Power Rangers", and the 1980s sci-fi horror hit "Stranger Things". Two of the first five games the company released in the push towards gaming are, in fact, based on "Stranger Things".
In early September, Netflix announced a partnership with Ubisoft, a major name in the development of video and mobile games. Ubisoft is best known as the studio that created the immensely popular series of "Assassin's Creed" games. Together, the two studios aim to release a series of new mobile games starting sometime in 2023.
At the moment, only a small percentage of Netflix users are taking advantage of its gaming services. Still, the app is hoping to have 50 games available by the end of the year. The kinds of games available run the gamut from narrative games to puzzles and now -- trivia!
Netflix Takes Viewers to the Triviaverse
Subscribers have had years of Netflix and chill, and now the streaming service is making things more interesting. The Netflix home page now features an interactive trivia game called the Triviaverse. It can be played in-app, on mobile, and however you stream Netflix to your TV.
Players can choose to play alone or with a partner. Each game is a zippy three rounds, and the questions start easy and get harder as you go. It's simple, but trivia is a classic crowd-pleaser. Answers are either multiple choice or true/false. And you can answer questions about all number of subjects -- not just Netflix-related facts.
If a player is one smart cookie, they can walk away with the title of Triviaverse God. And even if your score makes you what the game calls a Bird Brain, you're likely to have a good time. Currently, the game is available in eight languages, and it could be just the thing to set Netflix apart from its numerous competitors.
Casual Games for Casual Gamers
The market of mobile gaming is incredibly saturated -- if a new gaming platform wants to be successful, it has to stand out. But oddly, Netflix has released a game that's been played analogue-style in many living rooms across America for generations. It's so safe, so pedestrian -- and that's exactly why it might just work.
After its most recent sales quarter saw a loss of subscribers, Netflix is trying to hold on to its status as a streaming staple in the everyday household. Trivia is a game with mass appeal, and it's something you can probably play with your parents. It seems like Netflix, through the Triviaverse, has the potential to create a new market of casual gamers that aren't quite ready to game on their phones just yet.
The idea of digital games that appeal to multiple generations is a very enticing one -- especially for a company that's been in virtually every living room on earth for the better part of a decade. Move over, Nintendo Wii Golf! There's a new game that everyone can enjoy!
