Industry Voices

Congratulations to Microsoft, the newest holder of the ‘Netflix for games’ title after it announced the September 15 launch date for its xCloud streaming service.

That would be great if it really were the gaming equivalent of Netflix, but the truth is more complex. The ‘Netflix for games’ tag is an easy one to throw at any kind of all-you-caneat streaming service, games or otherwise. It’s an instant reference point that anyone can understand. But it also presents a vision that’s quite different to what is actually happening with the growth of cloud gaming, and I worry that the industry is creating an expectation that is unlikely to be met, mainly because games are nothing like movies.

Spare a thought for Google, whose Stadia cloud gaming service was very much hailed as the ‘Netflix for games’ - until Director of Product Andrey Doronichev categorically said it wasn’t. Similar outcomes have also befallen Nvidia’s GeForce Now, Parsec and Shadow, which at various times have all been proclaimed (or proclaimed themselves) as the ‘Netflix for games’.

The Netflix analogy only works if a service is offering consumers direct access to content – not just access to a digital games locker, or selling them the tech but asking them to provide their own content to make the service work. That means that Nvidia, Shadow, Parsec and Stadia don’t really offer the gaming equivalent of Netflix at all, as they are offering the streaming tech but you need to bring your own games.

Equally, services like Humble, Game Pass and Switch Online let gamers access a big library of games which they can download and play for a monthly fee, but they still require gamers to own a computer or console capable of running the games. These have all built up audiences in the millions, but are more akin to a Blockbuster Video rental than a Netflix.

For cloud gaming to deliver an actual Netflix-like experience, four criteria need to be met. First, the service needs to be based around the content, not the hardware. This rules out services that are based on a PC or console in the cloud where you need to bring your own games. Second, it needs to be all you can eat. Third, it needs to be subscriptionbased, rather than purchasing individual digital games (like with Stadia). Fourth, there needs to be original content that’s exclusive to the service; this is what differentiates with Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+. This last point we are already discussing for we believe strongly in “Native Cloud” Games yet to invent.

The closest cloud gaming model to a ‘Netflix for games’ could also actually be what we are doing with internet and mobile operators and not the known gaming actors. For them, we at Blacknut have already hit three out of the four criteria that a Netflix for games needs to have. Having somewhat missed the boat on the rise of video on demand and streaming video, operators are keen not to make the same mistake with games. And with 5G networks on the horizon, cloud gaming is the ideal premium service to use as a hook. This is a market where consumers are used to subscriptions, expect curated content, and all-you-can-eat consumption.

The winner of the ‘Netflix for games’ crown will be the service that speaks to the millions of people around the world who love games, and not only targeting the ‘gamer’ demographic as big brands are targeting today.

Olivier Avaro is the founder and CEO of Blacknut, a cloud gaming service distributed both direct to consumers and B2B through ISPs, device manufacturers, OTT services & media companies which was launched in 2018.

As we look forward to the launch of new consoles in just a few months, 2020 has already reminded us that games are about much more than teraflops and resolution.

Major disruption has kickstarted a wave of change across society, and that is no less true for video games. An explosion in hardware sales means we now welcome millions of new players around the world. For the industry and its evangelists, that means new levels of scrutiny too.

For decades we’ve sought a place at the cultural table, advocating for games not just on the basis of aesthetic merit, but educational and economic grounds too. It is becoming clear, however, that we need meaningful change in the sector and its surrounding culture before we can really lay claim to that status.

We’ve seen recently that while this is a community quick to embrace technological innovation, it is often too slow when it comes to social change.

Nowhere was this clearer than with the launch of The Last of Us: Part II and the nastiness that followed. The chapter summed up perfectly where we find ourselves in 2020. On the one hand, we can see a future characterised by sophisticated stories aimed at a much broader range of audiences. At the same time, there are those whose energy appears wholly devoted to making those involved in these trailblazing projects miserable.

And at studios like Ubisoft, we are reminded that the sector isn’t always the inclusive space we wish it to be, particularly for women. Amidst the anger, there is a wearying sense of déjà vu, particularly when you consider how similar injustices in film and TV were laid bare in relative prehistory.

But there is cause for optimism too. It is said that cultural change takes just 15% of a community to take root. Clearly, there is an appetite for games that better reflect society and are a little bolder in their storytelling. Let us hope such ambition rubs off. For Ubisoft, they have been quick to set out an apparently sincere attempt to right wrongs both historic and more recent. Meanwhile, women at Rocksteady attest to the studio’s efforts to create a safer environment for its staff, two years after management were accused of failing to prevent sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour.

At every turn, there are those working to steer the industry in the right direction. Studios have signed up to UKIE’s #RaiseTheGame pledge in droves, committing to create more diverse workforces and greater diversity of content. Meanwhile, advocacy groups including BlackGirlGamers and POCinPlay grow in influence. This is a shift reflected across our culture and entertainment industries, something I’ve been involved in through my own work at Riot Communications.

So what else can we do? It feels like there are players out there who simply don’t know that women make games. For every Kojima or Druckmann, how many female game directors can we name? Initiatives like the Women in Games awards and the Women in Games conference are a good start.

The BBC’s commitment to more thoughtful discussion of games is welcome too, with major releases now getting air time on flagship arts programmes such as Front Row. That such discussions are led by young women like Elle Osili-Wood and Aoife Wilson is equally encouraging.

Few of us doubt that games can impact society as film and TV do. But the industry can be its own worst enemy. We need to be united in our opposition to intolerable behaviour, be it online or in our offices, while asking if the environment we’re creating is anything other than the inclusive haven of imagination we want it to be. If we can do that, then the recognition we crave will surely follow.

James Douglas is Senior Campaigns Manager at culture and entertainment PR agency Riot Communications.