Netflix, which is making video games a priority for expansion, has acquired its first game developer, Night School Studio.
Founded by Sean Krankel and Adam Hines in 2014, Night School Studio is best known for their critically acclaimed debut game, Oxenfree
Mike Verdu, VP, Game Development, Netflix said of Night School Sttudio, "We’re inspired by their bold mission to set a new bar for storytelling in games. Their commitment to artistic excellence and proven track record make them invaluable partners as we build out the creative capabilities and library of Netflix games together."
The terms of the acquisition have not been revealed yet.
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But why is Netflix into gaming?
Earlier this year, Netflix had said "we view gaming as another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV." But it had said it will primarily focus on introducing the gaming platform on mobile devices.
As to why Netflix is keen on making the jump into gaming, it said: "since we are nearly a decade into our push into original programming, we think the time is right to learn more about how our members value games."
The acquisition of Night School is meant to help further expand its games team.
"We’ll continue working with developers around the world and hiring the best talent in the industry to deliver a great collection of exclusive games designed for every kind of gamer and any level of play. Like our shows and films, these games will all be included as part of your Netflix membership — all with no ads and no in-app purchases," Verdu added.
In a separate announcement, Krankel said that the studio would continue to make its own video games, like Oxenfree II for example, in addition to new games for Netflix.
“Netflix gives film, TV and now game makers an unprecedented canvas to create and deliver excellent entertainment to millions of people. Our explorations in narrative gameplay and Netflix’s track record of supporting diverse storytellers was such a natural pairing. It felt like both teams came to this conclusion instinctively,” said Krankel.
“Not only do we get to keep doing what we do, how we like to do it, but we get a front-row seat on the biggest entertainment platform in the world.”
Aside from this, Netflix said, it would continue working with developers around the world and hire talent to create a collection of exclusive games designed for “every kind of gamer and any level of play."
These games will all be included as part of users’ Netflix membership with no ads and no in-app purchases.
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