Netflix is the latest company to get in on the emerging video gaming industry with an announcement that they have partnered with game publisher Take-Two Interactive and will be creating "Netflix Video Games." This announcement comes as a surprise to many, as earlier this year, Netflix announced that they would be "phasing out" TV shows for movies.
The recent developments seem like a significant shift, but what does it mean for TV? The quick answer is that traditional television cannot compete with video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Crunchyroll. The most successful streaming services of today are ones that offer a wide array of movies and TV shows for a meager cost.
When Netflix announced that it would be focusing more on films, many people were worried about the future of television. However, the size and quality of the portable devices have skyrocketed in the past few years. The growth in mobile devices and sophisticated easy to order smart glasses have indicated a visible change which means that Netflix will not be able to ignore mobile viewing like they have with television.
Despite all this, traditional TV is still a major part of the entertainment industry thanks to popular programs such as Game Of Thrones and episodes of Friends and Breaking Bad being released on DVD.
However, this doesn't mean that traditional TV is here to stay forever. It is becoming increasingly evident that online services will provide the future of entertainment, and companies want in.
Amazon was the first major company to take a stab at video streaming with their Amazon Video platform, which has recently been rebranded as Amazon Video in order to better compete with Netflix. Now Netflix has announced that they are joining the market and will be competing directly with Amazon.
This isn't a surprising move for Netflix as it falls directly in line with their goal of being the one-stop-shop for anything and everything entertainment. However, more surprising is where they are looking to branch out next…video games.
At first glance, the idea of Netflix creating video games sounds ridiculous, but is it? It wouldn't be the first time that a major company has tried to take on an entire industry. For example, many people thought that the world would end if Apple ever created a phone or computer. However, we now know that they have been able to do so and are doing very well.
The gaming industry is massive and an ideal starting point for a streaming service such as Netflix. The gaming industry has required innovation, and money has traditionally gone into game development instead of new technology, which could potentially allow streaming online content. However, streams are becoming very popular and viable at the same time for companies as well as consumers.
Netflix has shown that they are willing to take risks and try new things, and this could be a smart move for Netflix. The gaming industry seems like it has a lot of potential, and they will be able to bring in revenue through their game subscription plans.
With high-tech streaming services such as Netflix as well as Amazon Video already available, the gaming industry does seem like the perfect place for Netflix to expand next. This doesn't mean that it will come to fruition, but I have been consistently optimistic about the gaming industry over the past few years.
Why do most brands want to go into video gaming?
Video game publishing has been a very profitable business over the years, even if things have taken a slight downturn at the moment, and streaming services want a piece of that pie. Video game publishing not only means that they will have to compete with Amazon Video (and possibly YouTube) for video streaming, but they will also have to compete with brands who want to become integrated into gaming.
Gaming is growing as a medium, and there is no end in sight. For example, Pokemon Go is one of the biggest games in recent history, and it gets more players every day. Every other week, a new game on the market makes a big name for itself and starts to attract massive amounts of users.
Gaming is also an excellent way to get your brand noticed since people are constantly playing games in their spare time. Brands want to get their campaigns into prominent gaming publications in order to reach as many people as possible.
The video game industry is one of the most exciting mediums. Brands can finally break into this space without worrying about boring older generations or having an outdated product aimed at those who will soon no longer be relevant.
There are many hurdles that brands will have to overcome in order to succeed with gaming, but this is a good thing. It means that the market is still extremely competitive and that only the best are able to make it.
The video game market used to be "easy money", but now you need more than just a name and some good products; you need to be one of the leading innovators in your field and have a strong social media following as well. This is why Netflix has made this decision since they already have both: a substantial social media presence and an innovative service that allows them to deliver what people want at any time.
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