Netflix reportedly looking to expand games library with GTA

A new report from The Wall Street Journal has alleged Netflix is planning to massively expand its foray into the video game realm, with new “higher end” games targeted for launch on the subscription service. Currently, many of the games included with Netflix are from independent studios, including some that Netflix owns, with titles like Immortality, Into the Breach, and Oxenfree 2 being headliners.

The Wall Street Journal believes Netflix is now aiming for more mainstream games and franchises to be included, like Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto. The company has reportedly discussed plans to release a GTA game on its platform, with conversations struck with publisher Take-Two Interactive.

At this stage, it’s unclear which GTA games were the subject of the reported discussion, although speculation is currently focussed on a new mobile title, rather than a port – if only because Netflix’s games offering is just available on mobile, for now.

To be clear, this is pure speculation. Given the recent GTA Trilogy launched for Nintendo Switch, and that mobile phones are now evolving to become more powerful gaming devices, it’s also likely talks with Take-Two could have focussed on this title, or other sequels.

Read: Netflix to release 40+ games in 2023, on a monthly basis

According to The Wall Street Journal, talks taking place at Netflix largely focussed on how boosting video game offerings may attract new subscribers to the platform. Figures from Apptopia cited by The WSJ reveal that Netflix game downloads have risen from 30.4 million to 70.5 million in the last year, suggesting a rising interest in these offerings – or in the slate of recent game releases.

While it was previously reported that only around 1% of Netflix subscribers were actually playing games daily, this number is likely to have also risen somewhat over the last year, given Netflix has more visibly pushed into the gaming space in 2023.

It’s likely introducing more blockbuster titles to the platform will drive a renewed interest in gaming on Netflix, with GTA being one of the biggest possible inclusions. Whether the franchise will be enough to hook people into the mobile games ecosystem remains to be seen – but it does appear Netflix is pushing to make waves in this arena.

For now, we’ll have to wait to see what the company has in store. In the meantime, there’s already plenty of fantastic games on its platform, including Oxenfree 2, Kentucky Route Zero, Immortality, Into the Breach, and other hits.