- Kyle Chua
Netflix In-House Game Studio Hiring for “AAA PC Game”
Netflix could soon expand beyond mobile games as it gears up for the development of what has been described as a "AAA PC game".
The streaming giant posted job listings for key positions on a new project to be helmed by its newly announced Los Angeles-based in-house games studio. These positions include game director, art director, technical director, producer and engineer.
"We’re looking for a creative and highly-skilled game director to help us forge the game direction and creative vision on a brand-new AAA PC game," reads one of the listings, which was first spotted by Mobilegamer.biz. "As Game Director, you will be the creative leader of one of Netflix’s first generation of internally developed original games."
While the listing doesn't dive into details about the project, it does say that candidates should ideally have some experience working on first- and third-person shooters and "live service" type games, along with implementing features within a prototype built on Unreal Engine. The listing also prefers candidates who are "deeply passionate about social systems and gameplay – both cooperative and competitive," suggesting the project is set to be a multiplayer experience.
Interestingly, the listing for lead engineer points to a third-person action RPG, though it doesn't say whether the project is for mobile or consoles.
The Los Angeles studio will be led by former Overwatch director Chacko Sonny, as announced by Netflix gaming executive Mike Verdu last month.
Netflix in November last year launched Netflix Games, providing subscribers with downloadable mobile games that they could play on their smartphones and tablets. Until recently, however, the company’s efforts in the gaming industry have mostly been confined to mobile.
Even though the service has since released some notable games for mobile like Lucky Luna and Into the Breach, less than 1% of subscribers reportedly interact with them on a daily basis. The underwhelming usage rate is perhaps what's pushing Netflix to develop bigger games that will help it build its portfolio and reach a wider audience.
Netflix could soon expand beyond mobile games as it gears up for the development of what has been described as a "AAA PC game".
The streaming giant posted job listings for key positions on a new project to be helmed by its newly announced Los Angeles-based in-house games studio.
While the listing doesn't dive into details, it does suggest the project will be a shooter with live service elements.