Netflix Are at E3, What Does That Mean?

Yeah, Netflix are at E3 and lets be honest it's a little bit strange isn't it?

This is the biggest gaming event of the year.

I mean I can't be the only one who is surprised by this but the largest in online streaming is stepping in to the gaming space and it isn't completely out of nowhere if you've been paying attention to some of their recent moves.

With the release of “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” just before the turn of 2019, it has seemed apparent that Netflix want to do something more with the medium and really push the boundaries of what an at home movie experience can offer.

“Bandersnatch” was Netflix's first attempt at their new format of shows that are more along the lines of a “choose you own adventure” book rather than a static viewing experience. As you watch these shows it is up to you to make choices along the way creating a story unique everything its played.

But this was just the start...

Shortly after they released a ZX spectrum game alongside the release of “Bandersnatch” a fun little game that requires the use of an old-school emulator to play it.

After the moderate success of “Bandersnatch” Netflix released other shows along the same “Choose your own adventure” vain with one of them even staring Bear Grills.

All they can.

Let's get the huge announcement surrounding “Stranger Things: The Game” out of the way. Confirmed to be coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch and Even to mobile and we don't even have long to wait with it being set for a December release.

From official statements and tweets from the Netflix Twitter account it seems like we are in for a classical 8-Bit inspired Arcade styled game featuring the likenesses of the “Stranger Things” cast, and honestly I will say that I am fully exited to see what Netflix does with its first project in the games industry.

Other than their very vocal parading of “Stranger things: The Game” there hasn't been much more announced by their team but with their cryptic “More to Come” tweet and how busy anyone is at E3 we maybe seeing a whole host of Games coming from Netflix as they burst out of the gates, but there is a lot of speculation.

Most interestingly is the thoughts around what other Netflix properties may be finding themselves with video game adaptations, This list includes;

• The Umbrella Academy

• BoJack Horseman

• Norsemen

• Altered Carbon

• A Full Black Mirror Game?

• Some of their Marvel Properties?

These are not the only rumours surrounding exactly what they could be announcing however one prominent one would be that they will be announcing a Film or “Bandersnatch” styled movie for an existing game property however these rumours are all unconfirmed as of writing.

This could just be the start of a very interesting time in the video-games industry, I for one am exited for the implications that a positive reception to Netflix E3 conference could bring, just as long as they don't mess it up.

For a while E3 has been an elitist Playground where the big boys play and the AAA companies get to show off their shiniest toys and get as much free publicity as possible, To such an extent that Nintendo just don't bother any more with it instead opting for giving their big announcements on live streams on YouTube.

Netflix could just be the guys to open the floodgates for a whole host of other tech and media companies to come in to the gaming space, possibly brining in much more money and (more importantly) competition in to the industry kicking the currently complaisant AAA industry into innovating and moving forwards away from its predatory actions.

Alternately it would only be all too easy for Netflix to fall into the same greed traps as others have however I remain cautiously optimistic about this. As shown by how they treated the movie industry it is apparent that Netflix are not afraid to shake things up and change an industry for the better, But can they do this twice?