Netflix: 8-Year-Olds Not Dreaming of PlayStation 6, Prefer Other Entertainment

Netflix's President of Games, Alain Tascan, anticipates a future where the younger generation may not be as invested in gaming consoles as major players like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo continue to innovate with new hardware. Tascan shared these insights during an interview with The Game Business following a Netflix presentation in San Francisco. When asked about Netflix's potential interest in console gaming, Tascan expressed doubts about the appeal of future consoles like the PlayStation 6 to younger audiences.

"Look at the younger generation. Are eight year-olds and ten year-olds dreaming of owning a PlayStation 6? I am not sure," he remarked. "When it comes to consoles, we started to look at a future where the platform is agnostic. They are wanting to interact with any digital screen, whatever it is, wherever it is, even in the car. With consoles, you’re thinking about high definition, you’re thinking about the controller... If we look at this older model, I think it will restrain us."

Despite his concerns, Tascan admitted a fondness for console gaming, citing Nintendo's Wii as a personal favorite. With a career spanning studios like EA, Ubisoft, and Epic Games, traditional console game releases are familiar to him. However, Netflix's strategy is shifting away from this model.

Netflix says kids don't care about consoles. Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images.

Netflix has successfully created game adaptations for its IPs, such as Stranger Things 3: The Game and Too Hot to Handle: Love Is a Game, and has also provided access to well-known titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition. These games can be played directly from a mobile phone, a strategy that Tascan emphasized Netflix will continue to pursue as it develops party games and positions itself as a hub for kids and gaming families.

"I am very vigorous about lowering friction and eliminating it if we can," Tascan stated. "I see that the subscription is friction as well. Maybe good friction because it makes business sense, but still we did the test of eliminating subscription for [mobile game] Squid Game: Unleashed. And we may do other tests."

He further elaborated on other forms of friction: "But the other friction is having enough controllers for the family. Having a piece of hardware that might be expensive, that’s another friction. Waiting for a game to download, that’s another friction. I am [looking at] all the obstacles, and asking if we can reduce them as much as possible."

Netflix reported a tripling of games engagement in 2023, indicating a commitment to further investment in gaming. However, a 2021 CNBC report noted that less than 1% of subscribers were engaging with its games offerings. In October 2024, Netflix scaled back its gaming ambitions by shutting down its AAA studio, which was led by former developers of Overwatch, Halo, and God of War. Additionally, cuts affected Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, which Netflix acquired in 2021.

As Netflix targets a market less interested in consoles, there remains strong anticipation for new hardware from Sony and Microsoft, such as the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox. Nintendo is also on the brink of a new console generation with its upcoming Switch 2, set to be unveiled in a focused Direct presentation next week, where details on features, release date, and pre-order information are expected to be shared.