By Sagar V. Mankar Netflix has appointed Alain Tascan as its new President of Games, marking a significant step in the company’s growing presence in the gaming industry. Tascan, previously the Executive Vice President of Game Development at Epic Games, oversaw popular titles such as Fortnite, Lego Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys. In his new role, he will report directly to Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters.
This leadership change follows the recent transition of Mike Verdu, Netflix’s former Vice President of Games, into a role focused on Innovation in game creation and development. Verdu, who brought extensive experience from Facebook and EA, will now concentrate on advancing Netflix’s capabilities in game design.
Netflix entered the gaming market in November 2021 and has made notable progress since. The company has acquired four gaming studios: Night School, Boss Fight, Next Games, and Spry Fox. Additionally, Netflix is in the process of building two internal studios, one based in Southern California and another in Helsinki, Finland.
So far, Netflix has released over 100 games, including internally developed titles like Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, widely regarded as one of the standout games of 2023. Other notable releases include Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy and games inspired by hit Netflix shows such as Too Hot to Handle, Virgin River, Money Heist, and more. With over 80 games currently in development, fans can expect titles like Emily in Paris, Selling Sunset, and a multiplayer Squid Game experience, which will coincide with the launch of the series’ second season.
In an effort to make gaming accessible across multiple platforms, Netflix recently started testing game streaming on TVs and computers in select markets. During its Q2 earnings call, Netflix executives revealed plans to launch at least one new video game every month starting in July.
Before joining Netflix, Alain Tascan had an impressive career in the gaming industry. He founded the Montreal studios for both Ubisoft and EA, contributing to titles such as Army of Two, Need for Speed: Nitro, and Batman Vengeance. Additionally, Tascan was the founder and CEO of Umi Games, known for developing Family Feud Live for mobile devices.
Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters expressed confidence in Tascan’s leadership, stating, “Alain brings over 30 years of experience in global video game development, production, licensing, and building studios. He has a passion for making great games and a proven track record of taking bold creative bets. We’re thrilled to have him leading Netflix Games.”
Source: Netflix Official Announcements