Months after its takeover of Night School Studio, streaming platform Netflix is pushing its pawns again to arm itself in the video game market with the acquisition of Next Games.
Founded in 2013 and led by Teemu Huuhtanen, Next Games creates and manages engaging mobile games that are based on authentic and social experiences. The Finnish studio’s strategy is to develop games under popular entertainment licenses with fans around the world. The Netflix acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to normal closing conditions.
“Next Games has an experienced management team, a solid track record of mobile games based on entertainment franchises, and strong operational capabilities,” said Michael Verdu, vice president of games at Netflix. “We are delighted that Next Games has joined Netflix as the premier studio in a strategic region and key talent market, expanding the reach of our own game studio. Although we are just getting started in gaming, I am confident that together with Next Games we will be able to create a world-class portfolio of games that will delight our members around the world.”
Teemu Huuhtanen, CEO of Next Games, adds: “We have been relentlessly focused on realizing our vision to become the partner of choice for the world’s entertainment companies and create authentic and enduring interactive entertainment based on the world’s most popular franchises. Joining forces with the world’s largest streaming service, Netflix, represents a logical and exciting continuation of our strategy to create interactive experiences for the world. Our close collaboration on Stranger Things Puzzle Tales has already proven that together we can build a strong partnership. This is a unique opportunity to move the studio forward on all fronts and continue our mission together. ”