According to XDA-Developers, Netflix is in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that would bring WB Games under its ownership. If completed, this would give Netflix control of major studios like Avalanche Software (Hogwarts Legacy), NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat), Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham), and TT Games (Lego Star Wars). The service already offers a surprisingly robust library of ad-free mobile games to subscribers, including recent ports like Red Dead Redemption. Despite this, Netflix Games has been overshadowed by its TV and film content and has recently shut down or spun off some of its own internal studios. The company now appears to be refocusing on franchise-based, kids’, and casual party games streamable to TVs. This acquisition could redefine Netflix’s gaming ambitions by the end of 2027.
The Sleeping Library
Here’s the thing: Netflix Games is already a thing, and it’s bigger than most people realize. If you have a subscription, you have access to a whole catalog of mobile games right now—no ads, no extra fees. We’re talking original titles, solid ports of console games, and cleaned-up versions of mobile classics. Red Dead Redemption landed there this month, and barely anyone blinked. But the experience is weirdly fragmented; you still have to download the games through the App Store or Google Play. It feels like a bonus feature, not a core product. And that’s the identity crisis. They’ve dabbled in cloud gaming and owned studios, but then they shut down Boss Fight and let Spry Fox go independent. So what’s the actual plan?
A Giant Awakening or a Messy Merger?
Acquiring WB Games is a power move, no doubt. It instantly gives Netflix a seat at the AAA table with iconic franchises. But I’m skeptical. Netflix’s stated focus—casual, family-friendly, TV-streamable games—clashes pretty hard with the core of WB Games’ lineup. Mortal Kombat 1 and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are not exactly “casual party games.” So what happens? Does Netflix force these studios to pivot, or does it let them operate independently? History shows buying your way to the top doesn’t always work. And WB Games itself is in a bit of turmoil, with canceled projects and recent flops. As noted in a Game File report, both entities are trying to redefine themselves right now. Merging during two identity crises sounds risky. Will they combine into a clear vision, or just create a bigger, more confused entity?
Stakeholder Whiplash
For users, the best-case scenario is amazing: getting blockbusters like Hogwarts Legacy as part of your existing Netflix sub. But will they stay console/PC titles, or get watered down for mobile and cloud? For developers at WB Games studios, this is a huge question mark. Job security vanishes in these deals. The market should pay attention, too. This isn’t Microsoft-Activision scale, but it’s another major media conglomerate deciding games are critical infrastructure. It could push others to make similar consolidation plays. But if Netflix fumbles this—if it downsizes these studios and just mines the back catalog—it’ll be a massive wasted opportunity. They’d become a caretaker for IP, not a innovator.
Netflix’s Make-or-Break Moment
Look, the potential is all there. Netflix has the distribution, the brand, and soon, potentially, the top-tier development talent. They’re making moves to get games on your main screen, like with Lego Party on the TV app. But potential doesn’t equal execution. This acquisition feels like the moment Netflix Games has to decide: is it a serious, long-term pillar of the company, or just a value-add to keep subscribers from leaving? Throwing legendary game studios into the mix forces that decision. Will the sleeping giant wake up and start throwing its weight around? Or will it just roll over, content to slumber on a new pile of very valuable intellectual property? The rest of this decade will give us the answer.
