Netflix to open games studio in Finland

Netflix is opening another studio in Helsinki, Finland in an effort to better establish itself in the world of gaming.

The studio: It'll be Netflix's fourth studio dedicated to games.

• The games studio will be based in Helsinki as it's "home to some of the best game talent in the world."
• It will be led by Marko Lastikka, the former Vice President and General Manager of Zynga, as its Studio Director.
• It's unclear at the time of writing what exactly the new studio will concentrate on, though the announcement made it clear that it'll have its own area of focus.
• Keep an eye on Netflix's hiring activity as it looks to flesh out its second Helsinki-based studio!

Playing the game: Netflix wants to become the next significant entity in gaming.

• This will serve as Netflix's fourth studio alongside Next Games (another Helsinki-based venture), Night School Studio, and Boss Fight Entertainment.
• While it's clear that the company has giant ambitions with its gaming efforts, VP of Game Studios Amir Rahimi is cognizant of the fact that it has "much more work to do to deliver a great games experience."
• It was in 2019 when Netflix admitted to shareholders that it was competing with the likes of Fortnite more than other streaming platforms, with the entire media landscape all battling for all-important audience screen time. While it's still investing in movies and television series, gaming is the next step in its plan to obtain (and retain) more eyeballs.