Netflix debuts Playground gaming app for kids

Netflix doubled down on its gaming efforts on April 6, launching a new app called Netflix Playground that would feature games built around popular children’s characters such as Peppa Pig and Sesame Street.

Analysts say the streaming giant’s gaming efforts have yet to emerge as a major growth driver. One of the main challenges, they believe, is Netflix’s relatively limited portfolio of iconic intellectual property compared with rivals such as Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns franchises including DC Comics.

Some of the most popular games from Netflix include Rockstar Games’ GTA: San Andreas, and those based on its own hit shows, such as Squid Game: Unleashed.

The streaming giant said the new features aim to be a “curated space where parents know kids are entertained, engaged and enriched”.

The move is also aimed at deepening engagement with families, a segment where children’s content has traditionally been seen as helping to reduce churn because parents are less likely to cancel.

“Emphasising kids’ programmes will make Netflix stickier for households with children,” Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes said.

The app will help Netflix “compete in the one area where it has a deficiency compared with Disney+, which is children’s programming”, he added.

It is designed for children eight years old and younger and is included with all levels of Netflix membership.

Each game will be playable offline, including Playtime With Peppa Pig, Dr Seuss’s Horton! and Sesame Street.

Besides parental controls, the platform ensures no ads, in-app purchases or extra fees.

Netflix Playground is available for download in the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand. The company will launch it globally towards the end of April. REUTERS