The employee responsible for Netflix's gaming section has now left the company.
Netflix's Gaming and Generative AI Chief, Mike Verdu, has called in quits - what does that mean for the future of Netflix games?
Mike Verdu's Career At Netflix
Mike Verdu, who joined Netflix in 2021 to lead its gaming division, has left the company. As confirmed by a Netflix representative (according to Game File), he quit in February.
His exit follows other significant recent changes in Netflix’s gaming strategy, including recent layoffs and the closure of its AAA game development team, Team Blue.
During his time at the company, Verdu, who initially served as Netflix’s vice president of games, played a key role in launching Netflix Games, overseeing mobile game releases, and later spearheading cloud gaming tests.
His departure comes seven months after Netflix appointed former Epic Games executive Alain Tascan as president of gaming.
At that time, Netflix assigned Verdu a new role focused on „transformative innovation in game creation and development“. In November 2024, then, he transitioned to vice president of generative AI for games, a move he described as a planned shift in a LinkedIn post.
The Future Of Netflix Games
Under Tascan’s new leadership, Netflix has scaled back some gaming initiatives, cutting interactive video content and canceling planned game releases like Thirsty Suitors and Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game.
Despite these changes, Netflix remains focused on expanding its mobile game library and developing co-op party games for TV. The company has released over 100 games, including popular titles like Squid Game: Unleashed, which it calls its most successful game so far.
Tascan and other executives are expected to share more about Netflix’s gaming direction at the upcoming Game Developers Conferencein San Francisco, March 17–22.
Have you ever tried any Netflix games? What do you think will be the result of the current changes in Netflix's gaming department?