Netflix's Strategy for Kids' Games: Entertainment, Discovery, and Family Experience

Netflix has been exploring the potential of gaming for several years, shifting its focus towards broader appeal after initial attempts at triple-A games. Recently, the company announced an exclusive FIFA partnership and acquired Ready Player Me, an avatar creation platform. This development follows a year of steady growth in its kids' gaming offerings, with age-appropriate mobile games now featured in the platform's kid-friendly view. In a conversation with Lisa Burgess, GM of Netflix Games for Kids, we discussed the company's strategy for play, discovery, and what's next. Burgess explained that Netflix's mission is to entertain the world, and games are a huge part of that, especially for younger audiences on mobile. The company isn't looking to compete with console games or AAA revenue drivers but aims to own a piece of the gaming audience. Kids' games are one of the four pillars of Netflix's refined strategy, with learnings that transfer across all pillars. When kids get into an IP, they often want to watch and play it, making the connection between watching and playing tighter than for adults. Games have recently started surfacing in kids' profiles, prompted by the need for better discoverability and parental controls. Burgess emphasized the importance of balancing parental control with discovery and ease of access for kids. The company has been working on designing for the youngest age group, ensuring that games are accessible even for those who can't read yet. For family games, Netflix aims to create experiences that don't leave the youngest audience behind. When considering IP to extend into kids' games, the company looks for highly recognizable IPs that can fall into different categories, such as big IPs on the service, toy or literary IPs, or those with a connection to the service. Netflix focuses on preschool-age kids but is also thinking about older kids, with a goal to develop great experiences for six to eight-year-olds and IP that aligns with that audience. The company defines success for kids' games as engagement and time spent playing, rather than revenue. Success is measured by trajectory, with external signals such as visibility in the US App Store on iPad, where three of the top 10 free kids games were Netflix's. As discovery expands, the company is thinking about the distinction between games designed specifically for kids and those that are simply kid-appropriate. Burgess is excited to build next, focusing on foundations, trends, and customization by default, with personalization becoming the expectation for the next generation of consumers.