Netflix will be talking games development at E3 2019

While Nintendo and Sony are both missing out on E3 this year, it looks like Netflix will be there to fill some stagetime.

The official E3 Twitter account revealed that Netflix will be hosting a panel discussion at the expo this year, on the topic of 'Bringing Your Favorite Shows to Life: Developing Netflix Originals into Video Games'.

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Netflix's ambitions in the gaming industry are no secret, with a rollout of interactive TV shows like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and You Vs Wild showing an appetite for game-like content on the streaming platform.

But Netflix has also been looking to make video game adaptations of its biggest franchises. The Stranger Things 3 game will be getting a release on Nintendo Switch this June, so the panel will be well-timed to talk about plans for other popular Netflix Originals titles. Could we see games based on Orange is the New Black, or, (shudder) Sex Education?

The TV takeover

It was already shaping up to be a unique year for E3, which traditionally sees Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft face off to impress the press and public attending the expo. 

But in an increasingly digital industry, and the success of Nintendo's own livestreams to show off trailers and announcements to its fans, console-makers have increasingly less need to have a presence at a physical event – and both Sony and Nintendo have decided to duck out of the event this year.

The Netflix panel shows that E3 can still hold sway with content providers, and possibly marks a shift in tone for the expo going forward. As TV becomes increasingly interactive, could we start seeing demos of interactive shows appearing at places like E3 before they launch? Either way, it looks like streaming platforms will be an increasingly bigger presence in the world of games.

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