gaming

Netflix shutters Night School and Moonloot as it refocuses gaming strategy

Netflix closed developers Night School and Moonloot in its latest round of gaming cuts. Night School had released Unhinged earlier this summer, which Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters called one of "our two most successful cloud game debuts," yet the studio was still shuttered. Netflix says it is narrowing its games strategy to focus on kids' titles, party games, story-driven experiences and "games with mainstream hooks," and earlier this month laid off 85% of Refactor Games' staff. The moves signal a tighter, more selective approach to Netflix's ambitions in games despite a reported 600% year-over-year increase in gaming engagement.

• Night School and Moonloot were closed by Netflix as part of a new round of studio shutdowns.
• Night School released Unhinged earlier this summer; Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters called Unhinged one of the company's two most successful cloud game debuts.
• Earlier this month Netflix cut 85% of Refactor Games' staff; Refactor's FIFA World Cup title was identified alongside Unhinged as a top cloud debut.
• Netflix says it will concentrate on kids' games, party games, story-driven titles and "games with mainstream hooks," and it did not pursue Warner Bros.' gaming assets nor complete an acquisition of EA, which was sold to a group that includes the Saudi Public Investment Fund.