Netflix expects to stay in games, with TV cloud play as focus
Netflix still expects to be in games in five years, with the television as the target.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos gave the answer at Bloomberg Screentime in Los Angeles when Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw asked him directly whether Netflix will still host games in five years. "I think so," Sarandos said, according to GameSpot.
Mobile was the start. Sarandos described Netflix's earlier push into mobile gaming as "a gateway to cloud gaming." Cloud gaming means titles run on remote servers and stream to a screen, with no console or large download required.
Netflix is "much more interested in" that model, Sarandos said. He said it makes more sense "in a post-console world." He added there will be "all kinds of opportunities for gaming on the television" and that Netflix wanted to be early invested in that.
He likes games for two reasons. One is extension of familiar stories and characters, which can keep viewers close to favourite series and build brand value. The other is choice. Some subscribers want to play rather than watch, and games give them that option inside the same membership.
Shaw also pressed him on big deals, asking about buying Take-Two or Xbox. Sarandos said Netflix has no specific plans to buy more gaming studios but is not ruling anything out. He said the company prefers to grow organically instead of buying companies to spur growth.
The gaming talk sat inside a wider discussion about growth. "Overall, we're not growing as fast as I want us to, and we're working on making that move faster," Sarandos said at the event, according to Bloomberg. The interview video, titled "Sarandos Says Netflix 'Not Growing as Fast as I Want'", was published by Bloomberg Podcasts on 1 Oct 2026. In it, Sarandos discussed new programming and engagement strategies with Shaw.
Bloomberg describes Screentime as a gathering of moguls, creators and innovators shaping entertainment, media, sports and AI-driven culture. The 2026 edition took place in Los Angeles.
For subscribers, this points to fewer barriers to play. No new box. No disc. Just games that load on the TV through streaming, tied to shows people already watch.
The context is slow but steady expansion. Netflix viewership grew 2 percent over the first half of 2026, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bloomberg first reported on 14 July 2021 that Netflix planned to offer video games in a push beyond films and TV, which makes this television bet a second act rather than a first try.
